Wine Advisor
Clos St Jean, Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous 2020
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
The 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous is an assemblage of 60% Grenache (planted in 1905 on sandy soils and typically raised in concrete), 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 10% Vaccarese (these are normally matured in oak). In 2020, this comes across as slightly smoky on the nose, with plenty of black raspberry fruit but not as much nuance as this cuvée often exhibits. It's full-bodied and softly tannic, with a mouthfeel that's deceptively airy and a long, lingering finish, so perhaps the bouquet was just going through an awkward phase.
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.
