2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum
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Tasting notes
The pure Grenache 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum was matured in a combination of clay amphorae and new demi-muids. It's an enormous yet fruit-driven wine, endowed with masses of raspberries and stone fruit yet featuring complexity in the form of dried spices, like cinnamon, clove and allspice. Creamy and intense, it's a roller coaster ride of exuberance, yet it's ultimately elegant as it glides into a nearly never-ending finish. The only thing that kept me from going higher was the slight bit of warmth on the finish, which I think limits the wine's aging potential.
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Average Score
Josh Raynolds
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
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Lastly, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Sanctus Sanctorum is another 2015 that’s all about finesse and purity. Coming from a single parcel of very old vines in the La Crau Lieu-dit, it boasts full-bodied richness and depth to go with a kaleidoscope-like bouquet of strawberries, kirsch liqueur, incense and dried earth/loamy soils aromas. It has good acidity, the tannins are present and ripe, and it has a stacked mid-palate, all while just gliding over the palate. Drink this heavenly Grenache anytime over the coming 20 years. I’ve written so many glowing reviews on the wines of Clos Saint Jean I sometimes feel like a broken record. Nevertheless, this estate continues to go from strength to strength and has yet to make a misstep since I’ve been reviewing the wines. The estate makes five separate red cuvees: a traditional cuvee based largely on Grenache from all the estate parcels; a Vieilles Vignes cuvee that’s slightly more Grenache dominated and from older vines (this cuvee is only for the US Market); the Combe des Fous based on Grenache, Syrah and Vaccarèse; the Sanctus Sanctorum which is 100% Grenache all from a single parcel in the la Crau lieu-dit; and lastly the Deus Ex Machina which is a 60/40 split of Grenache and Mourvèdre. Any of the three special cuvees would suffice as a dessert island wine for yours truly.
Lurid ruby-red. A heady, assertively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, incense, Indian spices and smoky minerals. A suave floral pastille nuance builds in the glass, adding to the wine's exotic character. Deeply concentrated yet energetic black raspberry and boysenberry flavors unfold slowly, picking up star anise, black cardamom and licorice qualities that expand on the back half. Shows superb clarity and mineral thrust on a sweet, seamless, endless finish that's given shape by smooth, harmonious tannins.
Lurid ruby-red. A heady, assertively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, incense, Indian spices and smoky minerals. A suave floral pastille nuance builds in the glass, adding to the wine's exotic character. Deeply concentrated yet energetic black raspberry and boysenberry flavors unfold slowly, picking up star anise, black cardamom and licorice qualities that expand on the back half. Shows superb clarity and mineral thrust on a sweet, seamless, endless finish that's given shape by smooth, harmonious tannins. Mar 2017, www.vinous.com