Description
Château Font du Loup, Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Le Puy Rolland”
Lovers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and fine French reds, I beg you to heed my advice and clear a substantial space in your cellar for this burgeoning legend because it is undeniably elite and eerily similar to that CdP. Just take a moment to gawk at the similarities: Century-old, north-facing vines. Five-million-year-old sandy soils. 100% pure Grenache. Long maturations in old oak foudres. A highly limited production. Consistently rave reviews.
By now, I’m sure all of you are thinking of a single cult Châteauneuf label. And yes, today’s wine feels just as singular as it explodes with multi-dimensional flavor, gobsmacking finesse, immense breadth, and unquestionable cellar potential. However, and this will please everyone, it’s 30x less expensive than Rayas. That’s right: Today, $75 gets you limited access to ancient-vine Grenache as grown in sable, from one of the most respected estates of the Southern Rhône, Font du Loup. “Le Puy Rolland” is blue-chip Grenache at its most elegant, perfumed, exotic, and pure; it should always be in discussion for the best <$100 Châteauneuf on the market. Do not miss this one. No more than six bottles per person.
NOTE: This special wine is only available as a pre-offer and is expected to arrive at our warehouse in mid-July. No more than six bottles per person.
Purchased by the Melia family in 1942, the beige-colored castle of Font du Loup translates to “the fountain of the wolf” because it is said the wolves of Mont Ventoux used to stop at the estate’s spring on their journey to the plains of Provence. Today, the estate is run by the founder’s granddaughter, Anne-Charlotte, and her husband, Laurent. They practice organic viticulture including composting with sheep manure and grape pomace, and allowing growth between the vines to boost the soil’s biodiversity.
In the naturally blessed locale of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, you’ll find a fiercely shining sun, air that’s seemingly infused with herbs and lavender, and a climate that’s quintessentially Mediterranean. The particularly arid landscape is peppered with galets roulés—large, round river rocks that are a product of prehistoric Alpine glaciers. Their function as it relates to wine-growing is to retain moisture, provide drainage, and insulate the vines from the heat of summer. And then there’s the mistral, a strong wind that howls down the valley, seasonally cooling down the land while (1) helping with the retention of acidity and (2) serving as a line of defense against humidity and mold. All of these factors combine to deliver a terroir-driven wine that’s simultaneously packed with luscious fruit.
There are several lieux-dits within Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but it’s “La Crau” that’s widely considered to be the most renowned. Sitting in the southeast of the appellation, it’s a large, geologically diverse plateau with limestone, sand, silica, red clays, and the famed galets. However, in Font du Loup’s northerly, and north-facing parcel of “Le Puy Rolland,” you’ll only find pure, ancient sands which hold a sliver of low-yielding vines nearing 120 years old. Anne-Charlotte and her team farm this treasure site organically, harvest by hand, and fully de-stem in the cellar. After the Grenache completes vinification in concrete tanks, the resulting wine is then transferred into oak foudres for 18 months of maturation.
Font du Loup’s 2019 “Le Puy Rolland” exhibits a concentrated deep ruby core with vibrant reflections on the rim. The generous nose catapults from the glass with beautifully poised aromatics of fresh wild strawberries, puréed raspberries, and kirsch infused with violets, rose petal, white pepper, herbes de Provence, orange peel, red licorice, wet stones, and exotic spice. The lush, full-bodied frame is masterfully soft and silky, gliding across the palate with the deft movement of a danseur. Although this ’19 is already a magnificent showstopper when served at a touch under 60 degrees, it promises to develop stunningly savory aromas over the next 10 years. This is a wine that you will inevitably wish you had more of, so buy several—that’s an order! It will pair with a vast array of food on the table, but this Catalan braised pork shoulder with dried fruit will be a guaranteed standout.
