One of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s oldest estates, archives affirm Château La Nerthe’s existence as early as 1560 and suggest an even more distant past dating to the dawn of the region’s wine culture in the 12th century. An Iconic producer whose wines are considered a benchmark with each vintage released.
This wine from the monumental 2016 vintage is a blend of 37% Grenache Noir, 29% Syrah, 27% Mouvèdre and 7% Cinsault aged 12 months 50% in small French oak barrels and 50% large French oak casks.
Wine Enthusiast Magazine scored this 92 points saying "Blackberry and black-cherry flavors are opulent in this rich, ample-bodied wine. It's intensely fleshy in fruit character but muted by hints of earth and savory spice as well as a whisper of violet. Ripe, finely woven tannins accentuate the immediate appeal but should structure the wine well through 2028."
The Wine Advocate scored it 92 points saying "La Nerthe's 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is a blend of 37% Grenache, 29% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre, 7% Cinsault and 2% others. Aged in a substantial portion of new oak (20%), it shows hints of toast and vanilla on the nose, then plenty of concentrated cherry fruit on the palate. It's full-bodied and plush in texture, making it approachable now, but there's enough tannic backbone and length on the finish to think it will drink well for more than a decade."
Wine Spectator scored it 93 points saying "Creamy textured plum and raspberry sauce notes glide through, flecked with black tea and pastis flavors and framed by a subtle apple wood hint. Flattering in feel, but shows latent cut and drive, so there's no rush. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Best from 2020 through 2034."
James Suckling scored it 93 points saying "Up-to-date, classical style with alluring red florals, red berries and light, herbal accents. The palate rolls out plush, plump, dark berries in a silky, smooth chassis. From organically grown grapes."
Jeb Dunnuck scored it 94 points saying "Deeply colored, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 37% Grenache, 29% Syrah, 25% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault and other permitted varieties. With classic notes of currants, ripe black cherries, new saddle leather, and peppery herbs, it's rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, with a pure, focused style that's going to age gracefully for 15-20 years. It's one of the finest classical cuvées I can remember."