Wine Advisor
Domaine de la Janasse, Chateauneuf Du Pape Chaupin 2006
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin’s deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a phenomenal nose of black cherry liqueur, melted licorice, incense, asphalt, truffles, and a hint of earth. This dense, full-bodied effort is a candidate for wine of the vintage. Consume it over the next 12-13 years. Young Christophe Sabon, with his sister by his side and his father in the background, is doing as great a job turning out terrific wines as any vigneron in the world. With nearly 200 acres of vineyards, 45 of them old vines situated in Chateauneuf du Pape, there is enormous potential, all of it being exploited. The 1998s, 1999s, 2000s, and 2001s were all fabulous at this estate, the 2003s were slightly irregular as well as tannic, the 2005s were great, the 2006s are fabulous, and the 2007s may be the sine qua non of all his vintages. The white wines are not to be missed as they are some of the freshest, most perfumed, lively whites of Southern France. The value picks represent remarkable bargains. The bottled 2006 low end wines are all in the marketplace. While they are not quite at the level of the 2007s, there are some gorgeous choices for consumers. Janasse’s 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes are outrageous, all of which performed brilliantly despite having just completed their malolactics after 11 months of fermentation. With all of the excitement over the 2007s, readers should not forget just how great Janasse’s 2006s have turned out. They are performing as well as they did last year, perhaps even better. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565
Reviewed by: Jeb Dunnuck
A step up on the richness scale over the classic cuvee, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is as sexy a Grenache as you’ll find in the vintage. Blackberry liqueur, black cherries, olives, crushed flowers and licorice all emerge from this beauty, and it hits the palate with a full-bodied mouthfeel, sweet, resolved tannin and a great finish. This blossoms with time in the glass and will continue drinking beautifully for 4-6 years.
Reviewed by: Robert M. Parker, Jr.
The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin (18,000 bottle produced) is brilliant. Made from 100% Grenache from sandy and clay soils, the wine shows a stunning purity of licorice-infused black raspberry and black cherry notes, good, firm tannins, and stunning richness in an opulent, hedonistic style. The wine is a classic example of old vine Grenache and of Provence. This full-bodied, powerful wine, which has no hard edges, should drink beautifully for at least 15 or more years. Tasting at Janasse is fun. It is a large estate of 195 acres with 45 of them situated in Chateauneuf du Pape. Even if you weren’t obsessed with their fabulous Chateauneuf du Papes, they have a portfolio of brilliant wines from Cotes du Rhone as well as a vin de pays. Young proprietor Christophe Sabon, working with his wife and father, continues to fine-tune his winemaking skills. He is already brilliant at reds and shows increasing confidence in the quality of his white wine cuvees. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565
About the Producer
Founded in 1973 by Aime Sabon, Domaine de la Janasse is particularly young in comparison to the older French wineries. The vineyards were originally owned by Aime Sabon's father, who did not make wine, and the grapes were sold in bulk to wine merchants; in 1967, Aime Sabon retired from the Navy and returned home to take over the vineyards, and in 1973, he built his own cellar, thus creating Domaine de la Janasse. Domaine de la Janasse covers 137.5 acres and has vineyards in several different appellations, including: Chateauneuf du Pape, Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Village. The vines of Domaine de la Janasse are planted on different soils and some are very old, up to 90 years old. The fruit from these old vines is used to produce Janasse Cuvee Vieilles Vinges, the estate's speciality. Domaine de la Janasse produces wines in the new style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. Since 1993, the winery has been destemming the grapes from the harvest. This practice has continued and to date at least 80% of the berries are destemmed before fermentation. The Grenache is fermented in stainless steel tanks; the Mourvedre and Syrah are fermented in short conical oak barrels. Grenache is matured in large oak barrels; Mourvedre and Syrah are matured in a mixture of new French oak barrels and large oak barrels, which can add a new and trendy style to their wines.
