Red Wine Domaine St Prefert Chateauneuf Du Pape 2019. Decant 1 hour before serving. St. Prefert was founded in the 1920s by Fernand Serre who purchased some 80 hectares of land here and established a reputation for making good quality Southern Rhone wines. Their Chateauneuf du Pape wines were amongst the first local wines to be exported to the United States, making them a global brand. Recently the domaine has enjoyed a resurgence under Isabel Ferrando who left a career as a successful banker to become a winemaker. After learning the ropes at Domaine Raspail-Ay in Gigondas, Ferrando purchased St Prefert in 2002. As well as expanding the estate she has converted all of the vineyards to biodynamic agriculture and received official certification in 2013. This bottling is her classic Chateaneuf du Pape crafted predominantly from Grenache with an average vine age of 75 years, plus a drop of Mourvedre and Cinsault. Just a few hundred cases are made each year with the young wine aged for 18 months in 600 litre barrels and small barrels. The nose is dominated by intense notes of crushed dark berries, cherries and dried fruit like raisins and plums. On the palate there is a generous full body, silky smooth texture and firm tannins that will help this wine to age beautifully in the cellar. Serve alongside seasonal game dishes or try pairing with roast beef.
2019
Red Wine Domaine St Prefert Chateauneuf Du Pape 2019
Red Wine Domaine St Prefert Chateauneuf Du Pape Collection Charles Giraud 2019. Decant 1 hour before serving. The story of Domaine St Prefert begins in the 1920s when Fernand Serre purchased 80 hectares of land here. The domaine quickly earned a respected reputation for producing Chateaueneuf du Pape, becoming one of the first local wines to be exported to the United States. In 2002 the property was purchased by former banker turned winemaker Isabel Ferrando who cut her teeth at Domaine Raspail-Ay in the Gigondas appellation. Ferrando has continued to add to the domaine, purchasing prime vineyards in the Chateauneuf appellation, and she has also converted St Prefert to biodynamic agriculture. This Chateaneuf du Pape is St Prefert’s flagship wine with just a few hundred cases made each year. The Grenache and Mourverdre grapes are sourced from Les Serres and Le Cristia where the vines are between 60-100 years old and are planted on rocky soils. Once in the winery the grapes are fermented and then each variety is aged separately for 18 months in 600 litre oak barrels prior to blending. This creates a lusciously rich and robust red wine with the ability to age for years in the cellar. If you do choose to drink it now, succulent dark berries, hints of leather and baked earth make this a great match for hearty game or beef dishes as well as barbecued meats.
2019
Red Wine Domaine St Prefert Chateauneuf du Pape Colombis 2019. Decant 1 hour before serving. Domaine St Prefert dates back to the 1920s when Fernand Serre bought 80 hectares of land here, soon earning a respected reputation for making top quality Chateauneuf-du-Pape which were some of the first local wines to be exported to the US. More recently the property was purchased by Isabel Ferrando who left behind a career in banking to become a winemaker. Over the years Isabel has bought up prized vineyards in Chateauneuf-du-Pape to expand the domaine and has also embraced biodynamic agriculture throughout the property. Colombia is one of their iconic wines which is made in tiny quantities from 60-year Grenache old vines planted on three different parcels. One in the winery the grapes are fermented as whole clusters and then aged in neutral demi-muid barrels for 18 months. Thanks to the well-draining sandy soils, this is a powerful yet balanced Chateauneuf-du-Pape that opens with enticing notes of strawberries, cherries, lavender and fragrant incense. On the palate there’s a robust full body, firm tannins, and a long finish seasoned with woodsmoke, leather, and spice. A robust Grenache that will continue to develop over the next decade or so in the cellar, although it can also be enjoyed now alongside hearty red meat dishes.
2019