2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Alexis Establet
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Tasting notes
Deep crimson. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe, oak-spiced red and blue fruits, succulent herbs and potpourri. Sweet, seamless and broad on the palate, offering juicy raspberry preserve, cherry-vanilla, mocha and exotic spice flavors that are sharpened by a lively mineral quality and a snap of spicy white pepper. Finishes long and smooth, with sneaky tannins adding shape and subtle grip.
Critic scores
Average Score
Richard Hemming MW, jancisrobinson.com
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Based all on Grenache brought up in foudre and old barrels, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Alexis Establet sports a deeper, saturated purple color as well as beautiful blueberries, blackberries, leafy herbs, ground pepper, and crushed rock-like minerality. Elegant yet powerful, with medium to full-bodied richness, it shines for its balance, complexity, and length.
With its dry, cedary veneer, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Alexis Establet is clearly wooded, yet it has the fruit to support it. Gorgeous black cherries shine in this plush, modern rendering of the appellation. It's full-bodied (16.1% alcohol), concentrated and velvety, with the substance to age well for a decade or more.
100% Grenache. Tasted blind. Light piquant spice and black fruit on the palate, after a nondescript nose. Chewy texture and fairly light body that has an over-reliance on oak spice on the finish. (RH)