Château La Nerthe

Rhône Valley - Châteauneuf du Pape AOP

Vineyard
Owned by the Richard family since 1985, this estate with 5 centuries of wine-growing history, located in the heart of the appellation, has 90 hectares of vines. The castle has been certified in organic farming since 1998, the terroir is very representative of the appellation, alternating sand, clay, limestone as well as the famous rolled pebbles. It was in the 14th century, when the popes were French, that the Château La Nerthe vineyard was born, at the same time as vines were making their appearance in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The subsoil, for its part, is made up of Burdigalian molasses, true links between the different terroirs of the appellation.

Winemaking
The grapes are harvested by hand then sorted on the table. After destemming, half of them are vinified as separate grape varieties and half by co-fermentation. Vatting lasts 18 to 20 days with regular pumping over and punching down to ensure the best extraction of compounds from the grapes. Then the wines are drained into stone vats for malolactic fermentation. Once this second fermentation is completed, half of the vintages are placed in barrels and half in tuns, for aging for 12 months.

Tasting
The color is dark and deep. The nose offers aromas of blackcurrant, black tea and dried flowers which clearly stand out. The palate is rich, fruity, velvety, with a complex tannin structure. The wine is balanced, pure, intense and long in the finish, promising great aging potential.

FEATURES

Grape variety: 40% Grenache noir, 35% Syrah, 18% Mourvèdre, 7% Cinsault
Taste and flavor: Soft and velvety
Alcohol content: 14.5°
Allergen: Sulphites

Service advice
Served around 16-18°C, it goes perfectly with strong meats, game, a haunch of venison, a stew of hare, but also, quite simply, a rib of beef with marrow or a beef stew with herbs from Provence.