Châteauneuf-du-Pape Clos Saint-Jean Pascal et Vincent Maurel 2015

Clos Saint Jean was established at the start of the 20th century by Edmond Tacussel and took on its current name in 1910. It has stayed in the same family over the generations, has expanded, and is currently run by Pascal and Vincent Maurel. Forty of its hectares are planted for Châteauneuf-du-Pape red and just one is planted for white. Yields are carefully controlled through pruning and green harvesting. The use of insecticides and chemical fertilisers is also kept to an absolute minimum. The quality of the grapes and the wine is evident. Length, texture and tension are key characteristics of wines from this highly-regarded domain.

The manually harvested grapes are 90% destemmed and vinified in thermoregulated vats. The extraction process is gentle; maceration is slow and careful. Vatting can last up to 35 days in concrete vats. Grenache grapes (comprising the majority of the blend) are matured for 16 months in concrete vats; the other varieties are matured for one year in new and second-use barrique barrels. In its youth, its bouquet is intense, with scrubland notes, and the palate is indulgent, with red berries. The finish is persistent. A wine that can be drunk young, but becomes more complex with time.