Châteauneuf Royalty for a Song
2010 Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Historic Rhône in Top Form
"I cannot think of anyone in this region these days that makes
superior wines to Mont-Redon’s magical bottlings"
-John Gilman
If you're not familiar with the traditional Châteauneufs of Mont-Redon, now is the time.
Today, the estate is in top form. This historic domaine turned out absolutely stunning wines in 2010. And, most importantly, Mont-Redon represents one of those rare moments where a benchmark domaine, value and superlative vintage intersect.
 |
There's no way around it, some time ago many Châteauneufs shifted gears in pursuit of a style marked by high-octane power and richness. Mont-Redon has stood tall as a holdout of the old-fashioned style, recalling a period when Châteauneufs delivered elegance and poise - exactly how we like them.
Gilman comes right out and calls the wines "Burgundian" in their sensibilities. That's not off the mark at all. Mont-Redon delivers a similar energy, a level of detail and elegance.
It's difficult to imagine a better vintage to showcase this style than 2010. In 2010, you have power and concentration married to elegance, ripeness allied with brightness and agility. The key is the energy, the acidity... the verve.
Mont-Redon has the good fortune of having some of the greatest terroir in all of Châteauneuf. In his thoughtful piece on the estate, Gilman notes, "along with Château Rayas, it was one of the few 'grand crus' in the region prior to the adoption of the Appellation Contrôlée system in the 1920s."
The pedigree of Mont-Redon really shows itself with time in the cellar. I have bottles going back to the 1950s and a 1978 recently stunned us with its freshness and balance. Robert Parker mentions the 1949 as one of the 25 best wines of his lifetime.
This is something to go deep on. We've created special 6-pack pricing for this reason. The combination of a great vintage, a top producer and ridiculous value is a very rare thing that should be celebrated and jumped on.
To order, reply to offers@crushwineco.com or call the store at (212) 980-9463.
Robert Schagrin
Managing Partner
Crush Wine & Spirits
Robert Parker: "An exceptionally strong effort, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape should eclipse the quality, longevity and overall character of the 2009. Its dense ruby/purple hue is followed by notes of cassis, kirsch, lavender, pepper and earth. Deep, full-bodied, textured, pure and long with sweet tannins as well as admirable focus and delineation, it will age gracefully for 15 or more years."