2020 Compagnie L’Hermitage Chateauneuf-du-Pape “lieu dit Pignan”
– 97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck / 99 Points Jeb Dunnuck (2019)
– One of the Greatest CDPs I’ve Ever Tasted
– Better than Rayas/ Soils Bordering Rayas
– The Best Pure Grenache Made in All of the Rhone
– Nose: Stunning Complexity
– Mineral, Raspberry Coulis, Spice
– Palate: Fruit and Freshness are Once in a Generation Type Stuff
– Deep, Palate Staining Fruit
– Astonishing Balance
– Amazing Sweetness, Structure and Tannins
– Mind-Boggling Inner Mouth Perfume
– VERY Limited and Allocated – 50 Cases Made
– Only Made in Vintages that Have Perfect Conditions
– Only George’s Best Customers Get This
The Greek
We all know the Greek, who runs the top wine store in the Rhone and who has been the first retailer to sell pretty much every top winery in the region. We call him the King of the Rhone. He knows all of the best plots in the entire region and makes a series of stunning wines. This CDP is his magnum opus from the South.
Let’s be clear – this is a wine that got 97 points and is under $92.
George reserves this for his best customers. It’s a gift.
Buy it for yourself. Buy it for special wine dinners. Buy it for gifts. Deals like this do not come around very often.
The Wine
This is perhaps the hardest to get wine we sell and I’m thrilled to sell the 2020 Compagnie L’Hermitage Chateauneuf-du-Pape “lieu dit Pignan” for as little as $91.99 a bottle on a 3-pack. This is 100% old vine Grenache (80-100 years) and is one of the greatest Chateauneuf-du-Papes I have ever tasted. In 2019 and now 2020, George says it is better than Rayas and the best pure Grenache made in all of the Rhone. My favorite CDP year in and year out. Jeb Dunnuck just gave the 2019 99 Points and said “It might be the closest thing to an older Rayas . . .”
The 2020 is a worthy successor. And Got 97 Points And is More Elegant
Nose is just gorgeous herbs. So complex and so detailed. Gorgeous plum and berry fruit. So intense yet refined and delicate. Heavenly nose. 9.8. Just stunning. The nose is pungent and aromatic with a raspberry coulis, complex spice and so much stoney minerality. Really a wine that you can sit with over hours and just watch (smell) it evolve). Wow – what a nose. Truly epic and wild yet refined at the same time.
On the palate, the fruit and freshness are once in a generation type stuff. Deep, palate staining fruit and astonishing balance. It goes on for minutes and after proper aeration a perfume like you cannot believe develops. There is also mind-boggling inner mouth perfume. Darker fruits than more red. Palate is juicy, complex and so, so, so stoney. And this wine is so stoney, which I will repeat often. I can only imagine the source of the vineyard and grapes given the name of the wine. Amazing sweetness, structure and tannins. Long. Elegant. Wonderful. This is a CDP in a pure style with astonishing depth and layers of fruit all presented on slabs of frock.
This is very limited as only 600 bottles were made in 2020. This is only made in vintages that have perfect conditions. There was none made in 2013/2014 and 2012 was sold out before I opened Fass Selections. I am VERY lucky to get an allocation of this wine and this is the third time I am offering this insanely rare cuvee. This will be allocated so put in your top amount and I will try and abide. The Fass abides.
“Another gorgeous wine from this team is the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Lieu-Dit Pignan, which is 100% Grenache from one of the top terroirs in the appellation. It doesn’t have the sheer power of the 2019, but it’s finer and more elegant, offering a thrilling nose of wild strawberries, blueberries, peppery herbs, spring flowers, and exotic spices. Just incredibly pure, medium to full-bodied, and ultra-fine, with a gorgeous finish, it can be drunk any time over the coming 10-15 years. It’s a thrilling example of finesse-driven Grenache.” – 97 Points, Jeb Dunnuck
“The finest example of this cuvée I’ve ever tasted, the 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape Lieu-Dit Pignan comes from sandy soils bordering Rayas and, I believe, was brought up in tank. It might be the closest thing to an older Rayas (which were more concentrated and opulent than today’s wines) with its deep ruby/purple hue as well as insanely good aromatics of kirsch, wild strawberries, flowery incense, Provencal spice, candied orange, and garrigue. Full-bodied, ethereal, deep, and multi-dimensional on the palate, it builds with time in the glass and has ultra-fine tannins, flawless balance, and a thrilling finish. If you get a chance, buy it.”– 99 Points, Jeb Dunnuck (2019)
One of the things George is the most proud of and is also the most secretive about are his sources for his cuvees that fall under the name Compagnie l’Hermitage, which is the name of his store. He knows everyone and anyone in the Rhone and has only the best sources for his vineyards and fruit for cuvees he puts his name or his store’s name on. He’s been tasting the best wines from the region every year for decades and knows exactly where to get the absolutely best fruit. He also picks incredibly talented winemakers to partner with to make the wines.
These wines are all undeniably great and some of the best examples of their appellations. And this is his side project. The guy is amazing! They are thrilling wines. George is an uncompromising guy and he oversees all the vineyards and winemaking decisions. It shows as these are some of the greatest wines I sell and they are also amongst the rarest. I tasted the whole batch when I was there and they all, as expected, blew me away.
Please call Cheryl at 949 378 5251 after emailing with your firstorder if you are a first time customer (we prefer not to receive credit card numbers over E-Mail).
OFFICE HOURS 4-7 PM
I love drinking and selecting wines – but my passion for teaching people about wine is almost as big. I’m happy to announce a block of time each day where people can call me just to chat about wine in general. These blocks are NOT intended to sell wine (I do that all day). This is to talk to me about wine pairings or great producers or how long to age wines or styles of wine making or the latest wine controversy. My goal is to help people learn more about wine and enjoy it more. Call me at 917-912-4355 from 4-7EST Monday – Friday.
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A Word about Fass Selections and Social Media
I am big into certain social media and I want people to take pictures of the wines they have received or will receive and tag me in them and share their thoughts. I a am on Instagram. Please tag me there. I also am on Delectable which I love a lot. It is Iphone/Ipad only, but it’s like Instagram meets Facebook for wine. Tag me there and find me there as well. I want to know if you liked the wine, were not moved by the wine, hated the wine or the wine gave you a religious experience. I want to know it all. Feedback is key and I will answer all feedback e-mails as quickly as I can.
For all billing and invoicing inquiries please contact Nick at accounts@fassselections.com or 646-498-6078