2021 Compagnie L’Hermitage Chateauneuf-du-Pape “lieu dit Pignan”
– 99 Points Jeb Dunnuck (2019)
– 97 Points Jeb Dunnuck (2020)
– Only Made in Great Years
– Only 600 Bottles Made
– One of the Hardest Wines in France to Source
– One of the Greatest CDPs I’ve Ever Tasted
– Better than 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
“It might be the closest thing to an older Rayas . . . .” – Jeb Dunnuck
Older Rayas Prices
1978 Rayas – $4,667- $4,900
1983 Rayas – $3,372 – $4,047
1985 Rayas – $3,111 – $3,514
1988 Rayas – $2,055 – $2,858
1990 Rayas – $3,368 – $4,990
One of the Greatest CDPs Ever Made
Back in the day, I used to drink a lot of CDP. It was largely affordable and generally interesting and quite good. Then Parker and global warming took over and most of it turned into overpriced, overly alcoholic jammy swill. So I moved on (mostly to the wines of the Northern Rhone).
But there are still a small number of excellent wines made in CDP and none better than today’s offer. I have a small allocation but anyone who wants to time travel a bit and enjoy the great CDP of yesteryear should give this offer a read.
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 form the South.
The Wine
This is perhaps the hardest to get and I’m thrilled to sell the 2021 Compagnie L’Hermitage Chateauneuf-du-Pape “lieu dit Pignan” for as little as $89.99 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 2021, George says it is better than Rayas and the best pure Grenache made in all of the Rhone. The 2019 is 99 points Jeb Dunnuck. It is such a deep, stoney and extraordinarily complex wine. My favorite CDP year in and year out.
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 allpresented on slabs of rock.
For my money, this is as good as many of the more high priced deluxe cuvees out there.
Below are the Jeb Dunnuck scores.
2016 – 96
2017 – 97
2019 – 99
2020 – 97
2021 – ???
This is very limited as only 600 bottles were made in 2021. 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 fifth time I am offering this insanely rare cuvee. This will be allocated so put in your top amount and I try and abide.
“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)
Please call Cheryl at 949 378 5251 after emailing with your order 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.