Editors notes
Clos du Mont-Olivet is located in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, France and has been producing red and white wines from the region since 1932. The estate is owned by the Sabon family and is managed by third-generation family members Celine, David and Thierry Sabon.
The estate covers 21 hectares (51 acres) of vineyard land around the southern Rhône, and bottles wines from three appellations: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône, and Vin de France. The terroir at each vineyard varies greatly and soils range in composition from clay and sandstone to quartzite deposits and sand. The variety of sites allows Clos du Mont-Olivet to plant specific grape varieties to preferred plots.
Grenache is by far the most planted variety, followed by Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsaut. Small amounts of Counoise, Vaccarèse, Muscardin, Picpoul Noir and Terret Noir are planted at Clos du Mont-Olivet's vineyards as blending partners for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape encepagement. White varieties planted at the estate include Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Picpoul and Viognier.
Vinification methods at Clos du Mont-Olivet are altered according to vintage, variety, and wine style, but the aim each year is to produce wines that convey the diversity of the estate’s grapes, soils, and overall terroir.
The flagship wine, La Cuvée de Papet, is produced from grapes sourced from the estate's best and oldest vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The blend was first produced in 1989 and is only made in the best vintages. Grenache from vines planted as far back as 1901 are complemented by Mourvèdre and/or Syrah and the varieties are vinified together.
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Critic Scores & reviews
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
94"Outer quote mark Much more concentrated than the traditional cuvée, the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape La Cuvee du Papet is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre, from the Montalivet, La Crau, Palestor, Bois Dauphin lieux-dits, that was aged 85% in foudre and 15% in demi-muids and small barrels. Its deep purple color is followed by fabulous notes of black raspberry, currants, crushed rock and peppery herbs. This flows to a medium to full-bodied, structured and classically put together Châteauneuf that has fresh acidity and no shortage of tannin. Give this beauty 3-5 years in the cellar, and enjoy bottles through 2032. This staunchly traditional estate has produced a solid lineup in both 2012 and 2013. Looking at the 2012s, the Cuvee Papet is significant step up over the base cuvee, but both have no shortage of tannin and will benefit from short term cellaring. (JD) Inner quote mark (10/2014)"
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Stephen Tanzer
95"Outer quote mark Brilliant ruby. Spice- and mineral-accented red fruits and lavender on the intensely perfumed nose. Juicy, focused and pure, with excellent depth to its raspberry and cherry compote flavors. Puts on weight with air without any loss of vibrancy. The mineral element carries strongly through the finish, which features silky tannins and a strong red fruit quality. Extremely elegant Chateauneuf, balanced to age. Inner quote mark (1/2014)"
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Locations
France
Wine is being produced throughout France and has been done for over 2,500 years with certain Châteaux dating their history back to Roman times, around 6th Century BC. Ranking second in the world in per-capita consumption and first in total production quantity. More so than the overall quantity of wine is the quantity of truly great wines coming out of France makes the nation the envy of wine-making nations worldwide.
Two concepts pivotal to the higher end French wines, in particular, are the idea of 'terroir' and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system. Terroir refers to the way the geography, geology and climate find their way into the glass, telling a story of the origin of the wine. The AOC was set up in 1935 and has the primary goal of protecting the authenticity of the wines and the livelihoods of the producers. Appellation rules strictly define which varieties of grapes and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or in some cases, like in Burgundy even specific vineyards.
Classic wine regions in France include Champagne (home of Champagne), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot), Alsace (Aromatic varietals), Loire Valley (Chenin Blanc, Crémant) and the Rhône Valley (Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre)
The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is still in use, as is the Sauternes and Barsac Classification of the same year. Wines from certain regions can be bought En Primeur, which is when the wine is sold prior to it being bottled.
Rhone Valley
The Rhône Valley is in the South of France and is situated in the Rhône river valley. The region has been growing wines for centuries and is generally split into two sub-regions. In the Northern Rhône, Syrah is the predominant grape variety, though it is often blended with other white varieties like Marsanne, Rousanne and Viognier, or the red grape Mourvedre. In the Southern Rhône, a wide range of white, red and rosés are produced alongside the undisputed king of the Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The Northern Rhône is cooler than the Southern Rhône and has a continental climate with warm summers and cold winter. The appellations from North to South are Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Péray.
In Southern Rhône, the climate is more Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous appellation but others include Côtes du Rhône, Gigondas and Lirac. Large pebbles are used in the region, placed at the base of the vines to absorb the suns heat during the day, to keep the vines warm at night.
Châteauneuf-du-Papes are blended from the 13 permitted grape varieties, though Grenache usually dominates, supported by Syrah and Mourvèdre. These wines can be supremely rich and complex and typically warrant 5-10 years in the cellar for best results.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the largest AOC in the Southern Rhone and the oldest AOC in France is an historic village between Orange and Avignon in the southern Rhone Valley. It is renowned for producing gloriously rich red wines, reminiscent of the heat and herbs of the south.
Vineyards are typified by the large round 'galet' stones which assist in reflecting sun onto the untrained bush vines. The climate in CNDP is the driest of all Rhone appellations, a Mediterranean climate in which the dryness is accentuated by the wineries not being permitted (in all but extreme conditions) to irrigate their vines.
The wines have a depth of complexity which comes from blending several of the 14 permitted grape varieties. The varieties are: Grenache, Mouvedre, Syrah, Cinsault, Vaccarese, Counoise, Teret Noir, Muscadin, Picpoul Noir, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Rousanne, Picpoul Gris and Picardin. With red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache is generally the dominant varietal with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. The white wines in the region are made from Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Picardin and represent barely a tenth of total production.
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