2020 Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Sanctus Sanctorum
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Tasting notes
There are two new demi-muids of the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum, pure Grenache grown on red clay soils, the only Grenache in the cellar that goes into wood for aging. Cedar and menthol notes accent black cherries, blackberries and raspberries. The fruit is kaleidoscopic, the wood luscious and the wine full-bodied, lush and velvety and long on the finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate
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A single varietal Grenache that’s only bottled in magnums, the 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Sanctus Sanctorum states 16% alcohol on the label. But this doesn't matter at all, because the alcohol is so well integrated. It enters the stage with a mindbogglingly complex perfume of crushed violets, freshly-cut blood orange, ripe red and black fruits, cloves, licorice, mint, dried herbs and crushed rocks. Swathed in velvety tannins, the palate is full-bodied and layered, ending with excellent persistence on the bold finish.
Lastly, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum is always all Grenache from a single parcel of very old vines in the La Crau lieu-dit. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a touch of whole cluster here, but in general this cuvée is mostly destemmed. Brought up in equal parts new and once-used demi-muids, it offers a brilliant array of kirsch liqueur, blackberries, herbes de Provence, and scorched earth, with just a kiss of classy background oak. This is never the biggest or richest wine in the lineup (it's also never the deepest colored), but it's a wine that brings incredible intensity, depth, and complexity while staying flawlessly balanced. It needs just a few years in the cellar and should evolve for two decades. It's a singular expression of old vine Grenache that I wish every reader could taste.