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More wines available from M. Chapoutier
750ml
Bottle:
$39.94
All Viognier, the 2020 Vin De France Esteban Blanc is a juicy, medium-bodied, delicious sparkler that has quality...
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M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac 2008
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$107.47
This shows some of the vintage's raisinlike edge and slightly angular acidity, but the core of mulled damson plum,...
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M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac 2009
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$111.57
Even better is the 507-case cuvee of 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac. One of the wines of the vintage, this dark...
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M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac 2017
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$94.28
The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac is brilliant and up there with some of the finest vintages to date of this...
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M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac 2018
750ml - 1 Bottle
Bottle:
$79.12
I’d put the 2018 Châteauneuf du Barbe Rac up against anything in this vintage. Coming from 100% Grenache brought...
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Winery
M. Chapoutier
Vintage: 2011
The year 2011 was an interesting year for many northern and central European countries, as the weather was more than unpredictable in the spring and summer. However, in most countries, the climatic conditions thankfully settled down in the late summer and fall. The result of this slightly difficult year of weather in France was a set of surprisingly small yields, but overall, these yields were of a higher quality than those harvested in certain previous years. A fantastic set of wines was also made in Italy and Spain, and the Rioja wines - when released - are set to be very good indeed. Austria also had superb year in 2011, with almost fifty percent more grapes being grown and used for their distinctive Gruner Veltliner wines than in the year before. Possibly the European country which had the finest 2011, though, was Portugal, with wineries in the Douro region claiming this year to be one of the best in decades for the production of Port wine, and the bright, young Vinho Verdes wines.
In the New World, the Pacific Northwest saw some of the best weather of 2011, and Washington State and Oregon reportedly had a highly successful year, especially for the cultivation of high quality red wine grapes. Chile and Argentina had a relatively cool year, which certainly helped retain the character of many of their key grape varietals, and should make for some exciting drinking. South Africa had especially good weather for their white wine grape varietals, particularly Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, and many South African wineries are reporting 2011 as one of their best years in recent memory.
Varietal: Syrah
There are few red wine grape varietals in the world quite as versatile as that of the Shiraz/Syrah vine. These powerful darkly colored grapes are responsible for several wildly popular wines, and are used in the production of still, fortified and sparkling wines, all which carry its magnificent strong flavors very well indeed. This grape varietal is a robust one, easily adaptable to several different climates and terroirs, and yet has a strong ability to express the conditions it is grown in when it ferments and is drank. Most typically, Shiraz/Syrah wines are known for spicy flavors with a big fruity punch, and the fact that they can demonstrate the decisions made by the winemakers in their secondary flavors very clearly.
Region: Rhone Valley
For over two thousand years, the southern French region of the Rhone Valley has been home to wine-makers and wineries of many different types. The ancient Greeks were the first to discover that a wide range of grape varietals can flourish in the rich soils and micro-climates which typify the region, and little has changed to this day. In the modern age, the Rhone Valley is recognized around the world as the home of excellent quality white, red and rosé wines, as well as some of the most highly respected blended wines on earth. The region is split into two distinctive sub-regions, with the cooler, continental northern sub-region producing primarily Syrah, Marsanne, Roussane and Viognier wines of exquisite quality, and the hotter southern sub-region growing a much wider variety of grapes.
Country: France
Year in, year out, France enjoys its prestigious reputation as the producer of the finest wines in the world. With a wine making history which spans several thousand years and owes its expertise to the Romans, it comes as little surprise that this most highly esteemed of the Old World wine countries continues to impress and enchant both novices and experts to this day. Despite the rise in quality of wines from neighboring European countries, not to mention the New World, the French wine industry continues to boom, with up to eight billion bottles being produced in recent years. However, France prides itself on always putting quality before quantity, and the wide range in fine produce is a testament to the dedication and knowledge of the wineries across the country. Indeed, from rich and complex reds to light and aromatic white wines, French wines are as varied and interesting as they are enjoyable to drink, making this country a firm favorite for wine lovers across the globe.