My love affair with this wine began about five years ago. A great friend of mine and our wives met at an eloquent restaurant for our birthday celebrations. We both knew very little about wine at the time, but all at the table were immediately enamored.  Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it may be one of the most pleasant wines to taste… and pronounce! To truly understand this wine one may need a deep understanding of French wine, law, growing conditions, blending techniques, and history. I’ll try to keep it simple. This wine has an extremely rich history that dates back to the early 1300′s in a time of dual papacy.  The name Châteauneuf-du-Pape literally means “new house of the Pope”. The grapes are grown in the southern Rhône Valley and this appellation is well-known for its near-perfect weather and rocky soils. The wines can be either white or red, however, less than three percent of the wines produced are white. Around seventy percent of the red grapes used for blending are Grenache. These exceptionally sought after red wines can be purchased in the range of anywhere from thirty dollars to the hundreds, depending on the quality.

This specific wine has an eloquent nose that exhibits dark raspberries and black plums combined with hints of white pepper, and licorice. The pairing capabilities of this wine are innumerous. The wines are always complex and pair well with just about any full flavored proteins. Additionally, the wine paris well with herbaceous dishes. Combine the two and you will likely have a magical combination. Santé!