90-92
Jeb Dunnuck - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"As for the reds from barrel, I found a touch of volatile acidity in all of the barrel samples, as well as a touch less exuberance and concentration than in past vintage. Still, as I hope the scores show, the wines are beautiful. Starting out, the 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape is 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah, all from the sandy soils of the Cristia lieu-dit. Blueberries, flowers, peach pit and violets all emerge from this full-bodied, expansive, sweetly fruited effort that has supple tannin and excellent purity."
90-92 Josh Raynolds - Vinous Media
"Vivid ruby. Powerful mineral- and spice-accented red fruit liqueur aromas show impressive clarity and pick up a sexy floral nuance as the wine opens up. Gently sweet, sappy and focused, offering palate-coating raspberry and cherry compote flavors, along with hints of succulent herbs and candied flowers. Rich, in the style of the vintage, yet vibrant as well. Finishes on a juicy note, displaying subtle tannins and strong, spice-tinged persistence."
90 Joe Czerwinski - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"A blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape is a plush, silky wine that can be consumed over its first ten years of life. Cherry and cola notes finish with a touch of warmth.
At Domaine de Cristia, the estate has been certified organic since 2008, but now Baptiste Grangeon is changing up the winemaking. "The 2015 is the last year made the way I always did," he said. In 2016, he used more whole clusters and a touch of oak, looking for more complexity in his wines. Most of the domaine's wines are located in the lieu-dit Cristia, which has mainly sandy soils well suited to Grenache."
90 Wine Spectator
"This is intense, with fig, blackberry and plum compote flavors rolling over one another, while worn leather, Turkish coffee and well-roasted mesquite notes form a ring around them. Overall this is rich and dense, yet there's definition throughout. Only needs time to knit fully before delivering its peak experience. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2020 through 2035."
"Domaine de Cristia was established in 1942 with 2 hectares of vines; all grapes were sold to négociants until the children of the current winemaker took over and bottled the first Domaine de Cristia wine in 1999. Brother and sister Baptiste and Dominique Grangeon are now running the winery.
Today, they have 20 hectares of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape spread over four different lieu-dits near Rayas with varying soil-types with sand, clay and calcaire and galets. Ninety percent of the vines are in the lieu-dits Cristia. These parcels of Châteauneuf-du-Pape benefit from a cool, fresh north-easterly exposition which allows the grapes and wines to develop supple, elegant tannins.Their Syrah and Mourvèdre vines average 50 years-old and they have some Grenache that is over 100 years-old.
The domaine follows organic agriculture for all work in the vineyards and have been certified from the 2008 vintage. No chemical fertlizers, herbicides or pesticides are used to treat the soils or the vines. Ploughing and weeding are practiced according to the blocks and the yields desired. Vines are treated with copper sulphate and sulphur occasionally blended with a nettle infusion/tea (4 to 5 times a year). Only organic fertlizer is used – i.e. sheep manure.
The grapes are selected in the vineyard and then destemmed before being put into vats. Three weeks of fermentation and maceration in concrete vats follow, with the use of indigenous yeasts. Temperatures are kept low in order to produce aromatic wines. They do not insist on any massive extraction, but prefer the ‘matiere’ to express itself. (Due to the work in the vineyards, the grapes possess enough concentration). The pressed juice and free-run juice are blended together according to the vintage. Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are aged in concrete vats and barrels for 18 months. Côtes-du-Rhône and Vin de Pays are aged only in concrete vats for 8 to 12 months.
The Domaine de Cristia wines are always have a notable finesse and elegance." -Importer