2017 Baron de Montfaucon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The 2017 Baron de Montfaucon presents an opportunity for Rudi de Pins to "cross the river" from his home in Lirac and challenge the big boys with his own delectable version of their fabled reds. Of course, he brought the same well-seasoned sense of restraint, elegance, and harmony to this perfumed blend of Grenache and Mourvédre.

Amazing depth and structure with gripping yet approachable tannin. This elegant wine is beautifully textured and gives away ripe blackberries, dark cocoa powder and a touch of spice. It is a powerful, bold wine but the balance and elegance of it makes it just the right Châteauneuf Du Pape.

So stunningly delicious, especially considering the price, this shows the real strength of Montfaucon's winemaking. Sumptuously textured with tannins already showing like velvet, it strikes a brilliant balance between ripe fruit, roasted spices and firm structure. It provides everything I want out of a Chateauneuf-du-Pape with no added frills or distractions - just pure enjoyment. Though it drinks beautifully now, I eagerly await its development in bottle, as I know it will evolve exquisitely; I will, however, revisit it at many points on its long journey.

I am a major fan of the Montfaucon wines and so are most of our regular customers. This Lirac based producer makes classically styled wines of the southern Rhone. I love the entire lineup from their Cotes-du-Rhone to their stunning Lirac. But, I’m pretty sure this is the first time I’ve tasted their CdP. This Grenache dominant cuvee (with 8% Mourvedre) is simply gorgeous and my initial reaction to tasting it was “classic!” Heady aromas of Provencal herbs, ripe strawberries, and a hint of fennel fill the glass. On the palate the wine is seamless as a bouquet of wild berries flows mellifluously across your tongue. Truth be told, we tasted this next to the 2017 Ch. de Beaucastel. While the Beaucastel is a monstrous thing of beauty, the Montfaucon held its own. You can enjoy several bottles of the Montfaucon while you wait 20 year for your Beaucastel to peak.

I had a conversation with winemaker Rudi des Pins a few years ago when I tasted his very first vintage of Chateauneuf, the 2014. "Why haven't you been making Chateauneuf all this time!" was something along the lines of my exclamation. Rudi is a devout Lirac producer and ardent promoter of his home region, so it's easy to see why he didn't dive fully into this more famous neighboring region. But opportunity struck when one of his vineyard managers inherited this small piece of property. We are all the better for it. Rudi's restrained winemaking style allows the beauty and perfume of the fruit to really show through. This is vibrant red fruit with a floral perfume that shows the weight of the 2017 vintage but the elegance of Rudi's style. The reception to the wine in past vintages has been so overwhelmingly positive we have sold through the so quickly it has been difficult to keep up with the demand. On top of that the critical recognition has been tremendous. No wonder this has been one of our most in-demand Chateauneufs. This is now the 4th vintage and in just this short time it is now one of the biggest wines to watch in the region.