Wine Advisor
Clos St Jean, Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous 2012
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape la Combe des Fous is another gorgeous wine from this estate that offers incredible richness while never seeming heavy, cumbersome or over-the-top. A blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest Muscardin, Vaccarese and Cinsault, it exhibits thrilling cassis, black raspberry, chocolate, crushed flowers and exotic spice. Full-bodied, seamless and incredibly elegant, it has the polish and balance to drink nicely now, but will evolve for 15 years or more.
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
The smoking good 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous (60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and the rest Muscardin, Vaccarese and Cinsault) is a structured, serious wine that gives up notions of blackberry, currants, melted licorice and assorted meaty nuances that flow to a full-bodied, seamless wine that has terrific fruit intensity, masses of fine tannin and a blockbuster finish. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and drink it through 2032. Drink 2016-2032. Always one of the highlight visits during my time spent working in the Southern Rhone, Clos Saint-Jean, which includes over 100 acres of prime terroir in Chateauneuf du Pape (mostly in the south), is run by brothers Pascal and Vincent Maurel, with consulting help from the incredibly talented Philippe Cambie. Releasing 5 Chateauneufs in top vintages, they also pair up with Manfred Krankl, of Sine Qua Non in California’s Santa Barbara County, and release another high-end cuvee call Chimere. While the winemaking here is often labeled as modern, it is actually relatively traditional, with the Grenache almost always aged in tank and only the Mourvedre and Syrah seeing time in larger, 500-600 liter oak barrels, or demi-muids. In addition, the cuvees may also include small amounts of whole-cluster fermentation. Regardless of how you classify it, the results speak for themselves and there are few wines in the world I’d rather drink. Importers: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565 and Paul M. Young, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (323) 222-2003
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Opaque ruby. Potent red fruit liqueur and Asian spices on the highly perfumed nose, with a mineral element adding lift. Sweet, concentrated and energetic on the palate, with intense raspberry and cherry-cola flavors deepening and gaining power with air. The penetrating, floral finish features outstanding clarity and thrust, with harmonious tannins providing shape and grip.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Vivid ruby. Blackberry, cherry-cola and spicecake on the intensely perfumed nose, with a sexy floral nuance adding complexity. Youthfully primary cherry and dark berry flavors gain sweetness and flesh with air, picking up a gentle vanilla quality and a touch of smoky Indian spices. Finishes with very good grip and focus and lingering dark berry and spice qualities.
About the Producer
Clos Saint Jean is a family estate founded in 1900 by Edmund Tacussel. In 1910 he started to bottle wines with the name Clos Saint Jean. Since 1991 when the owner Guy Maurel died his two sons Pascal and Vincent have carried on at the property. The oenologist Philippe Gambie has since 2003 been assisting at the estate and something has happened: two-three famous special cuvées have merged and all the production became bottled at the domain.
