My Personal Recommendation For You

Domaine Lou Frejau Chateaunuef du Pape 2010     Southern Rhone; France      Reg $59.99      Now $49.99

From the acclaimed 2010 Rhone vintage! / 92pts Stephen Tanzer!

“For 2010, vignerons aren't just invoking comparisons to 2009 or 2007, the most recent vintages of note. Some are stopping at benchmarks such as 2005 or 1998, while others are reaching even further back-to 1990, 1985 and 1978, among the greatest vintages in the region's history-to set the stage for 2010. Simply put, the 2010 vintage reaches new heights in a region that has already been on an impressive roll. ” – James Molesworth / Wine Spectator (November 30, 2012).

Châteauneuf-du-Pape roughly translates to "The Pope's new castle" and, indeed, the history of this French wine appellation is firmly entwined with papal history. On the way to Chateau de Beaucastel, the region’s flagship wine, lies Domaine Lou Frejau and its superb organic vineyards of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Vaccarèse, Counoise, Muscardin, and Terret Noir (the 8 legal red varietals now used to produce CDP.) This phenomenal wine was produced with ALL of the eight unique red Rhone varietals –an effort rarely seen today!

I was able to sample this wine Friday of last week: Deep ruby in color, with a complex nose of exotic notes and red fruit - raspberry, cherries, spices and a hint of minerality. On the palate, the wine is powerful with silky tannins and a firm acidic spine. A superb “Neuf” – rich, with the correct amount of opulence and elegance.

The 2010 vintage is one of the greatest Southern Rhone vintages ever. In fact, Robert Parker said it is “possibly the best vintage ever from anywhere”, along with giving the CDP region a remarkable score of 97 pts!

Review:

“Vivid ruby. The perfumed nose offers an exotic array of red berry preserve, incense and floral scents. Bright raspberry and redcurrant flavors show good depth and impressive energy, with silky tannins adding back-end grip. Spiciness builds on the long, juicy finish, which echoes the bright red fruit and floral notes.” – 92 pts. Stephen Tanzer (Jan/Feb 2012).

This hand-picked wine is ready to ship. To see other personal wine recommendations we are offering customers CLICK HERE Each wine has been carefully selected to recommend. You might want to mix and match. Need help? Call 1 800 434 9463 (WINE) and ask for your Wine Advisor, Ty. My job is to learn your palate. Please tell me what you are looking for, i.e., specific grapes, countries, and/or price points. Weguarantee all wines we recommend, you never get stuck with wine you do not enjoy. Simply let us know if you are not happy and we will pick up the wine at our cost and put you into something else. I will also always match a legitimate price. We stand behind our customers 100%.