Although not very well known in France, André Brunel can nevertheless boast belonging to the elite few within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation.
He makes high quality wines where minerality and refinement are considerable virtues. This whole wine range is incredibly consistent.
The Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a calm fortitude, with finesse and overtones. During successful production years the Domaine makes a small quantity of a wonderful cuvée, issued from vines planted in 1889 on the Farguerol plain, baptised Cuvée Centenaire and which appeared for the first time in 1989. It quickly gained a well-deserved worldwide success.
But André Brunel still owns a few rare and magnificent old bottles from 1947 and 1967, or more recently, from 1978, revealing an undeniable know-how which is still found in the wine quality today.
Côtes du Rhône (white) Bécassonne 2012: freshness due to vegetal hints. A fine and delicate wine with a distinctive taste of flint.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Les Cailloux 2012: releases an incredible energy in the mouth, a wine guided by fresh ripeness and a fragrant scent of garrigue and grass. Nonetheless, it must recover from its “bottling”, although its ageing potential is more than obvious.
Côtes du Rhône Sommelongue 2011: fresh fragrance of pure fruit.
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Cailloux Rouge 2011: graceful with a light roundness and finely smooth tannins, the wine rolls out a spicy fragrance pre-empting a highly subtle taste. A remarkably pure wine with a drawn-out fruit touch in the mouth. Finely and incredibly intense.
Published : 2013-11-13