At only eight hectares in size, this miniscule, ultra-traditional estate produces tiny quantities of just one wine: no luxury cuvee, no specialty blend, just a stunningly pure and complex Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Owner Claude Courtil is the godson of none other than Henri Bonneau, one of the most legendary and revered producers in the region, and he learned everything he knows about winemaking from his godfather. Henri and Claude share a deeply held commitment to natural winemaking: manual vineyard work, traditional aging in large foudres, and bottling without intrusive fining and filtration. A reserved, introspective man, Courtil sold his entire production to negociants until the 1996 vintage, and he has been producing steadily more impressive and complete wine ever since -- though the '96 is an extremely gorgeous Chateauneuf in its own right! This is truly a special domaine, and one that is extremely deserving of your attention.
The blend consists of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.
Farming Practice:Sustainable
55a
France » Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Jen Dunnuck 95 “I always love the wines of this estate, and unquestionably the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the finest vintage of this cuvée to date. About
Wine Advocate 90-92 "I loved Clos des Brusquieres’s 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape, which was tasted as a barrel sample, and this classic beauty is loaded with
Vinous Media 93-95 "Bright red. Vibrant mineral- and spice-accented red berry preserve and floral pastille scents show excellent clarity and pick up notes of lavender and
Vinous Media 91-93 "Deep red. High-pitched raspberry and floral scents are complicated by notes of star anise, allspice and white pepper. Juicy and focused on the
Stephen Tanzer 93 "(made from roughly two thirds grenache, with about 15% each of mourvedre and syrah and a bit of cinsault): Glass-staining ruby.
Stephen Tanzer 94 "Saturated ruby. Rich red and dark berry liqueur aromas are complicated by white pepper, garrigue and smoky minerals. Refreshing, delineated raspberry and black
Stephen Tanzer 93 "Vivid ruby. Aromas of raspberry compote, smoke and potpourri, enlivened by a strong suggestion of cannabis. Densely packed but penetrating, with a firm
Stephen Tanzer 92 "Ruby-red. Pungent, seductive perfume of dark berry preserves, blood orange, potpourri and spicecake. Silky and energetic but surprisingly dense, offering intense red and
Vinous Media 93 "Bright ruby-red. Aromas of fresh red berries, cherry compote, lavender and Asian spices, with a mineral element adding vivacity. Juicy and sharply focused,
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