2015 Domaine Jean Royer Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige
Market price
Buying options
Tasting notes
The 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Prestige checks in as a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre, all from pebble soils, aged in demi-muids and stainless steel. It's another seamless, elegant, yet powerful wine from this team. Blackcurrants, cherries, dried earth and spice all flow to a full-bodied, ripe, hedonistic effort that has moderate tannin and a great finish. Vigneron Jean-Marie Royer pulls from a number of prime terroirs, most consisting of sandy soils. While 2015 was challenging for the sandier parts of the appellation, he’s turned out a bevy of beautiful wines. His 2016s are some of the finest I’ve tasted from the estate.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jancis Robinson MW
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
Far and away Royer's best wine this year is the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige, which seems to finally pull together all of the ideas he's been playing with (or maybe it discards them?). The blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre spent time in demi-muids and stainless steel and found harmony, developing lots of wonderfully silky, supple tannins that linger easily on the fruit-and-spice-laden finish. Terrific.
Brilliant red. Expansive, mineral-tinged red berry, floral pastille and Asian spice aromas, along with hints of succulent herbs and incense. Appealingly sweet and seamless in texture, offering energetic raspberry, boysenberry and lavender pastille flavors that show outstanding clarity and lift. Fine-grained tannins provide frame and grip to the nervy, focused finish, which lingers with wonderful persistence and repeating florality. This remarkable wine should drink well through a long, steady aging curve thanks to its harmonious blend of fruit, acidity and tannins.
Le Bois de la Ville, Les Grandes Serres. 80% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre. Partial whole-bunch fermentation in stainless steel and concrete tanks. Aged in demi-muids and in stainless-steel vats. pH 3.5, TA 3.5 g/l. Tasted blind. Mid garnet. Neat, well-integrated and balanced nose. Very sweet start and very nicely balanced. Sweet but not sickly Grenache that is fully ripe and well counterbalanced by fine tannins and just enough acidity. (JR)