2017 Domaine de Saint Siffrein Chateauneuf du Pape

"Classic, textbook, and incredibly Provencal Châteauneuf du Pape emerge from Domaine Saint Siffrein."~ Jeb Dunnuck

When Cyril Chastan took the reins of Domaine de Saint-Siffrein from his father Claude (who took the reins from his father and so on all the way back to 1880), he inherited beautiful vineyards that produced quality fruit. In the 1970s, before it was the trend, Claude began using organic and biodynamic farming methods in the vineyards. Since the 2012 vintage, all of the winery's offerings have been certified organic.

The 50-plus-year-old vines grow in northwestern Châteauneuf du Pape’s unique terroir with rolled pebbles that are heated by the sun, holding the warmth in the evening. The famous Mistral winds that blow through the region protect the grapes from disease pressure, allowing the grapes to hang until they reach their prime maturity and concentration. 

To ensure the highest quality, Domaine de Saint-Siffrein keeps production small. Chastan and his team could produce more, but meticulous grape selection eliminates damaged bunches while hand harvesting. Then, before the grapes that made the first cut head to the cellar, they’re picked through once more to ensure only fruit that reached its optimum maturity ends up in the vintage.

2017 was a good year for Southern Rhone. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate blessed this year with a 94-point review. And Vinous Media said, "Most of the wines in 2017 are generous and forward. They will provide plenty of pleasure over a shorter aging curve than normal."

Aging: Combination of vessels with roughly 70% of the wine aging in foudres and the remaining aged in used French oak barrels.