Iconic and historical appellation of France, based in the Rhone Valley these wines were originally made for the Pope which explains the name of the appellation. The Chateauneuf du Pape are spectacular wines with power, and complexity. It's made from old wines of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, matured in oak barrels.
Vinified primarily in concrete with a small proportion of whole-bunch fermentation, there's a lifted, airy freshness to Gigognan's Clos du Roi that's consistent from vintage to vintage. A full-bodied blend of Grenache (70%), Mourvédre (20%) and Syrah (10%), it's packed with layers of succulent blackberry, cherry and plum flavors, edged by a stony, salty minerality. Fine, smoothing tannins are welcoming young but it should continue to improve through 2035 at least.