An extremely concentrated and refined Chateauneuf that presses all the pleasure buttons, yet remains subtle. Breathtaking energy at the very long finish. Listing all the aromas would take too long, but there’s a slew of red fruits, Mediterranean herbs and a touch of candied citrus in there. Great touch and texture on the mid-palate, harmonious and vibrant. Expanding and ample long finish. A cuvee of 60% grenache and 40% syrah. Drink or hold.
Product Description:
Domaine de la Charbonnière is a family-owned wine estate situated just northeast of the town of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, particularly known for its Grenache-based red wines from that appellation. Current owners, the Maret family, trace their association with the property back to 1912, when Eugene Maret bought the estate as a gift for his wife.
Michel Maret, who took over in 1973, gave the domaine its current name, reflecting its location an area formerly used for charcoal burning. His daughter Véronique Maret assumed full control of winemaking in 2012.
The estate farms 19 hectares (47 acres) of small but well-sited vineyard parcels scattered throughout Châteauneuf-du-Pape. There are also nearly six hectares (14 acres) in Vacqueyras and two hectares (five acres) of vines in the Côtes du Rhône and IGP vineyard zones.
Since 2015, all of Domaine de la Charbonnière's wines have been certified organic.
There are several different red Châteaneuf-du-Pape cuvées in the portfolio. The standard release combines 70 percent Grenache with equal parts of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Charbonnière makes around 4000 cases of this wine a year, which makes up the bulk of the domaine's Châteauneuf-du-Pape production.
Other labels include Mourre des Perdrix (combining Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah with some Cinsault) which comes from a specific lieu-dit within Châteauneuf-du-Pape; while Hautes Brusquières is a 60:40 combination of Grenache and Syrah – sometimes with a dash of Counoise – from the Brusquières plateau.
The domaine also produces a Vieilles Vignes label – a Grenache-dominated blend with a small amount of Mourvèdre, primarily from the La Crau vineyard site. Finally, l'Envol is a Mourvèdre-based blend. Only a few hundred cases a year are made of each of these cuvées.
