Our visit to the Domaine Pierre André this year was a sad one, coming just a few months after Jacqueline Andre died of a sudden illness. Her father was a pioneer in organic viticulture, having decided in 1965 that chemicals were bad for his vines and having abandoned all of them altogether. Jacqueline was proud to have inherited and to tend vines that were up to 145 years old. The domaine was certified organic in the early nineteen eighties – among the first anywhere – and for many decades Jacqueline quietly carried on her family’s great tradition.
The 2022 vintage of her red Chateauneuf du Pape is the last that she saw all the way through to bottling, and no surprise, it is gorgeous. Like a few other great winemakers of her era, Jacqueline made a single cuvée of red wine, blending in all the wine from patches of terroir across the appellation.
The 2022 is outstanding – as always, the nose is expressive, showing the wild strawberry fruit of the dominant Grenache, as well as floral notes of violet and maybe a touch of licorice. The weight is medium, with just enough structure and an exceptionally long finish that completes this strikingly elegant wine. André was a master of channeling rich southern grapes in wines of poise and class, and the 2022 is a remarkable achievement.
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André Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2022
bottle price: $68
