2016 Chateauneuf du Pape
Estimated value
Buying options
Tasting notes
Moving to the reds and 85% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre, the base 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a beauty and boasts appealing notes of spiced red and black fruits, cedar, and garrigue. Full-bodied, ripe and undeniably sexy, it’s going to benefit from a year or three in the cellar and drink nicely for over a decade. The Maurel brothers, along with rock star consultant Philippe Cambie, continue to knock it out of the park in just about every vintage, and since taking over control of the estate in 2002, they’ve yet to put a foot wrong. Even in the more difficult vintages, they’re able to produce charming, balanced, delicious wine, and in top vintages, they produce some of the greatest wines on earth. As I’ve written in the past, Clos Saint Jean is at the top of their game and producing some of the most singular, hedonistic and brilliant wines in the world. Also, I was able to taste a retrospective of the white Châteauneuf-du-Pape and came away thinking that current vintages might be some of the most under-the-radar, great whites of the appellation.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The lush, fruit-forward 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is a good introduction to the domaine's Grenache-dominated style, boasting copious amounts of cherry and apricot fruit. It's full-bodied and velvety in texture, with attractive hints of licorice emerging on the long finish. With its slightly more prominent acidity, it should drink well for longer than the 2015 or 2017 versions.
Bright ruby-red. Pungent raspberry, cherry and garrigue scents are complemented by smoky mineral and licorice accents. Silky and concentrated, offering juicy red berry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors and a touch of candied lavender. Shows very good depth, focus and solid thrust on a youthfully tannic finish that features a lingering cracked pepper note.
Bright ruby-red. Pungent raspberry, cherry and garrigue scents are complemented by smoky mineral and licorice accents. Silky and concentrated, offering juicy red berry, bitter cherry and spicecake flavors and a touch of candied lavender. Shows very good depth, focus and solid thrust on a youthfully tannic finish that features a lingering cracked pepper note.
About the producer
Product details
Grenache/ Garnacha , Syrah / Shiraz, Mourvedre/Monastrell/Mataro
Red
Dry