Gabriel Meffre ‘St Théodoric’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017
Grape Varietals: A blend of Grenache, Syrah & Mourvèdre
Growing Region: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley - France
Head Winemaker: Véronique Torcolacci
4 Stars ★★★★
Back in 2018 I had the pleasure to spend a few days with the team at Gabriel Meffre. Where this estate having a tightly-entwined history with the region - since being founded in 1936. It was a pleasure to go through their full range of wines with Véronique - who not only crafted these wines. But has an incredible knowledge of the region, the soils and traditional varietals which cling to the sides of this rugged area.
This Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of Grenache and Syrah, along with a good dash of Mourvèdre grapes bringing complexity. With these varietals being grown in a mix of sandy and limestone soils, red clay and pebbles. Saint Théodoric takes its name from the Roman Chapel which is the oldest monument in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The 2017 vintage is one of the most interesting of the past few years, producing elegant, harmonious wines along, with concentrated aromas and good ageing. The high temperatures brought the harvest forward by almost 10 days, with these extreme conditions impacting on the size of the bunches, with one of the smallest in the last 60 years, though the resulting fruit quality was exceptional.
The grapes were hand-picked and on arrival into the winery each varietal were vinified separately and the fermentation and maceration lasted for approximately 4 weeks. The wine was then transferred to French oak and larger vats for about 12 months of maturing, then these parcels were tasted and combined to form the final blend before bottling.
• As you pour into your glass you are greeted by a deep red-garnet core and shining hue. On the nose you are casually seduced by notes of ripe plums, dark cherries, wild strawberries and dried spices complemented by a touch of mocha-coffee. With a good swirl in your glass the wine unwinds to reveal those juicy plums, firm dark cherries along with infused oak, dried spices and well-integrated silky tannins. This is a well-balanced medium-bodied wine which is a delight now for the taste-buds and has a classic smooth finish.
This 2017 Gabriel Meffre ‘St Théodoric’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape has 13% Alc./vol. No decanting required and serve in an appropriate glass at 16°-17°C.
CELLARING POTENTIAL: *(Review 20/02/21)
Drinking perfectly well this season; plus will age nicely for another 4 - 5 years.
FOOD PAIRING SUGGESTIONS:
Perfect wine pairing with mild game meats, slow roasted lamb, mildly seasoned pasta & pizza's, tapas’, pork kebabs, earthy vegetarian cuisine and aged hard cheeses - enjoy
