Warning – link mania going on below!

I’ve always heard good things about wines from the Chateauneuf-du-Pape village of France – although “always heard” for me meaning a few issues of Wine Spectator and Jay McInerney’s Bacchus and Me. At any rate, I was excited to find this bottle at Highland Wine & Crystal – always a great afternoon jaunt!

The Clos Saint Jean was very bold! Without food, it was too bold for my taste. A bolstering of tannins and a punch of spice really gave this wine some real backbone. W made an absolutely delicious dinner from a new recipe to go with this new wine – Confetti Corn Bread-Crusted Shrimp in Creole Filling – similar to a shrimp jumbalaya with cornbread casserole. The new recipe is my new comfort food – phenomenal flavor with several layers of spice and the sweet, textured cornbread as well. But the wine seemed to be “okay” – not awful, not fabulous, just okay… overall just too bold and spicy. I wouldn’t go out of my way to try this particular one again but I would definitely give Chateauneuf-du-Pape another try!

In the meantime, enjoy the interesting history of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape region from Wikipedia:

Châteauneuf-du-Pape translates as “New Castle of the Pope,” and indeed, the history of this commune and its wine is firmly entwined with papal history. In 1308, Pope Clement V, former Archbishop of Bordeaux, relocated the papacy to the city of Avignon. Clement V and subsequent “Avignon Popes” were said to be great lovers of wine and did much to promote it during the seventy-year duration of the Avignon Papacy. …

Châteauneuf-du-Pape permits thirteen different varieties of grape; the blend is usually predominantly Grenache. Other red grapes include Cinsault, Counoise, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Syrah, Terret Noir, and Vaccarèse. White grapes include Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picardin, Roussanne, and Picpoul. In recent years, the trend has been to include fewer (or even none) of the allowed white varieties and rely heavily (or solely) upon the Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah. One may suspect that this is a response to international wine-market trends and the desire to have this sometimes-rustic wine appeal to a broader commercial audience.

Before wine critic Robert M. Parker, Jr. began promoting them, the wines of Châteauneuf were considered rustic and of limited appeal in the U.S. However, his influence increased their price more than fourfold in a decade. In gratitude, the Châteauneuf Winemakers Union pushed for his becoming an honorary citizen of the village.

Origin: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, France
Where: Highland Wine & Crystal
Price: $40-$50ish ??

PS – I found out after I tried this wine that it was more of a “keeper”… as in don’t drink for 5-10 years. Please completely ignore my opinion above and check back in 5-10 years. Let this be your “learn from others’ mistakes” moment. I’ve since gone out and purchased another bottle and labeled it appropriately so I won’t mess this one up again!