2016 Domaine de la Charbonniere Châteauneuf-du-Pape Mourre des Perdrix

Slightly deeper colored, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Mourre des Perdrix comes from the sandy soils not far from the domaine and is 70% Grenache and 15% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre. It's incredibly elegant and nuanced, with smoking notes of black raspberries, cherries, dried flowers, incense, and loamy soils aromas and flavors. Deep and silky, with beautiful purity, it has ripe tannin, no hard edges, and a great finish. It should be bottled by the time this report is published and is a candidate for the finest vintage of the cuvée to date. This fantastic, family-run estate is now firmly in the hands of sisters Caroline and Veronique Maret, yet they continue to receive help from their parents Mireille and Michel Maret and consultant Philippe Cambie. Looking at their Châteauneuf-du-Pape releases, they produce four cuvées: the Tradition, Mourre des Perdrix, Vieilles Vignes, and the Les Hautes Brusquières. The traditional cuvée comes from all the estate’s holdings and is typically a blend of 70% Grenache and 15% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre. It’s mostly destemmed and brought up in older barrels and stainless steel. It’s certain a terrific introduction into the style of the estate. The Mourre des Perdrix comes from more sandy soils just behind the estate and is the same blend as the classic cuvée. This cuvée is always the most seamless and elegant in the lineup. The Vieilles Vignes comes from the oldest vines of the estate and the pebbly soils of the La Crau lieu-dit. Based on 95% Grenache or more, with the balance Mourvèdre, it’s always the most structured, tannic, and masculine of the three special cuvées. Lastly, the Les Hautes Brusquières comes from the Brusquières plateau in the northern portion of the appellation and is a 60/40 split of Grenache and Syrah that’s destemmed and aged in a mix of foudre and barrels. This cuvée is generally the most opulent and full-bodied in the lineup, and while approachable in its youth, is capable of keeping for upward of two decades.

The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Mourre des Perdrix was scheduled to be bottled two days after my visit, so the sample was drawn from the final blend. Although I expect it will close down a bit after bottling, it was singing when I tasted it, featuring red raspberries and cherries, floral and spice notes and a plump, velvety texture. Just delicious stuff.