Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tête de Cru Château Fortia 1988

Lot presentation

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tête de Cru Château Fortia 1988

The wine

Tête de Cru from Château Fortia is a flagship red produced under one of the southern Rhône Valley’s most prestigious appellations, Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The estate’s vines are planted on terraces strewn with rounded pebbles, sandy soils and red clays that are characteristic of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Tête de Cru is a single-vineyard selection produced only in the finest vintages. The grapes are harvested by hand, with meticulous sorting both in the vineyard and in the winery to retain only the ripest berries. Fermentation takes place in concrete vats, with gentle extraction to preserve the elegance of the fruit. The wine is then aged for 12 months in large oak tuns and big barrels.
The wine displays an intense purplish hue The complex, captivating bouquet combines aromas of ripe black fruit, liquorice, garrigue and black pepper, layered with hints of cocoa and leather. Broad and powerful on the first sip, the palate is supported by a velvety texture and tightly knit yet elegant tannins.

Lying at the gateway to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Château Fortia is one of the oldest properties in the appellation. It was taken over by Hippolyte Bernard le Saint in 1890 having been owned previously by the Fortia, Gondi and Seguin families. Bernard le Saint and his son-in-law, Pierre le Roy de Boiseaumarié were architects of the appellation d'origine contrôlée regulations for Châteauneuf-du-Pape which came into being in 1936. In 2004, Pierre Pastre took over the running of Château Fortia. The property boasts 31 hectares of vineyards with a fully south-facing exposure. The terroir’s traditions are followed closely: harvests are manual, weeds are removed with tools and wines are matured in oak foudres.