[France] The taste of history!

In my taste note, Rhône Valley wine is highly recommended. It is separated into Northern and Southern side, each appellation has their unique characteristic. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is located in Southern Rhône Valley. This village is full of history, the name in English means New Castle of the Pope. Back to the 14^th century, the papal set a new Castle in Avignon (close to Châteauneuf-du-Pape). Perhaps of the history, the wine bottle of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is embossed with papal keys. The climate is Mediterranean with dry and hot weather. Many of the vineyards are covered by mixed pebbles, sand, clay and limestone. This type of pebbles in French is called Galets, which is larger and smooth. It can retain the heat during daytime and release the heat at night to help the grapes to get fully ripen. The famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wine is powerful, full bodies, with high alcohol and jammy fruit because it is mostly made with 75% of Grenache, and the rest is Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Roussanne, Picardan and Picpoul. Red wine of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is permitted to blend with 13 different grapes varieties but most of the wine is blend with 3 varieties such as Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, only few wineries are blend with all 13 varieties.   

Brunel family owns Château de la Gardine since 1947, before that it may have a longer history. At that time, the vineyards were in a poor condition, because it was left uncultivated during World War 2. Afterward, they replanted and expended the vineyards to the present 52 ha, there are 48 ha for red wine and 4 ha for white wine. The soil of the vineyards is covering by round stones, clay, sand, limestone and pebbles. Average age of the vines are 40 – 60 years old, the oldest vines were planted in 1925. In their wine list include 5 red and 2 white wines. This time, I tried one of the red wine, Château de la Gardine Cuvée Tradition 2008. It blends with 65% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre,15% Syrah and 5% Muscardin. All the grapes are harvested by hand, and then go through a selection process. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tank and aged 60% in vats and 40% in 1 to 6 years old 225 liters oak for 9 to 14 months.

                      The embossed papal key on the bottle & 酒瓶刻有教皇鑰匙的圖案

                                                          (Photo from website)

My Taste Note: The wine has deep purple color. The aromas include spices, black fruits, violets and strong of lavender. In the mouth, this wine is dry, full body, like there is different of flavors in the mouth, delicate acid. After taste is a little astringent, maybe the tannic is still a bit young then at the end it has little sweet. This wine is interesting because the aromas are continuous showing out during drinking. Overall, it is a strong and powerful wine, with little spicy, in aromas and mouthfeel is very opulent.      

The bottle should have embossed papal keys but 375ml bottle didn't have it.

酒瓶應該是刻有教皇鑰匙的圖案,不過半枝裝(375ml)是沒有刻上.

                                                 Galets (Pebbles) & 鵝卵石
                                                    (Photo from Wikipedia) 

在我的筆記裡法國Rhône Valley (隆河)的酒是非常值得賞試的. 隆河是分為南北兩個區域, 每一個產區都有它們的獨特的特色. Châteauneuf-du-Pape 是位於Rhône Valley的南部. 這裡好像充滿了充滿歷史色彩,如果將 Châteauneuf-du-Pape 翻譯做中文是教皇新堡的意思.回顧到14th世紀,有一位教皇曾經在Avignon(Châteauneuf-du-Pape 附近)興建一座城堡.可能因為歷史的關係, 它們的酒瓶都刻上類似教皇鑰匙的圖案.這裡的地中海氣候,帶有乾燥和較熱的天氣.很多的葡萄園泥土都包含了鵝卵石,沙,粘土和石灰石.這種鵝卵石法文稱為Galets,外形都是大塊和平滑.它可以保留日間的熱量之後在晚上釋放走來,這樣可以幫助葡萄完全熟透. Châteauneuf-du-Pape 的紅酒出名強勁,厚酒身,酒精度偏高和果味較濃郁.因為這些紅酒的葡萄成Grenache佔了75%,其餘的用Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsaut, Counoise, Vaccarèse, Terret Noir, Muscardin, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Roussanne, Picardan 和Picpoul, Châteauneuf-du-pape是允許用以上13種葡萄來釀製它們的紅酒.用Grenache釀造的紅酒都會比較濃郁和多酒精.不過多數的酒莊都是只用上3款葡萄來釀製,這就是Grenache, Syrah和 Mourvèdre, 只有少數的酒莊才會真正用上13款葡萄來釀製紅酒.  

1947年Brunel家族收購了Château de la Gardine, 在他們收購之前這個酒莊還有一段很長的歷史.在收購的時候葡萄園的環境都是很差,因為在第二次大戰的期間葡萄園都荒廢了.到他們管理之後就返新和擴大葡萄園到現在52公頃,有49公頃是供給紅酒用，另外的4公頃是供給白酒用.葡萄園的泥土都是由石子,粘土,沙子,石灰石和鵝卵石覆蓋著.葡萄樹的平衡年齡是40-60歲,最老的葡萄榭在1925年種植.他們的出產包括5款紅酒和2款白酒.這次我試了他們的紅酒 “Château de la Gardine Cuvée Tradition 2008”, 用了65% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre,15% Syrah和5% Muscardin來釀造.所有葡萄都是人手採摘, 然後所有葡萄會經過篩選.榨出來的葡萄汁會在不銹鋼桶內發酵,當釀成酒時60%的酒會放進大木桶內熟成,另外的40%會放進1-6年的225升的舊木桶內9-14個月.

我的品酒筆記: 酒的顏色是深紫色,香氣包括香料,黑色水果,紫羅蘭和很強薰衣草香氣.口感上是乾型紅酒,厚酒身,在口內好像感覺到很多不同的味道最後帶精緻的酸度.After Taste有少少涩可能因為單寜比較年輕,之後有輕微的甜味.這是一款有趣的酒,因為品嚐的時候香氣不斷釋放出來,使你在品酒的時候不會覺得沉悶,慢慢來發掘這款酒的特色.整體這是一款強而有力的紅酒帶有少少辣,在香氣和味覺都是非常豐富.