Transition to organics/biodynamics may be trendy in winemaking today, but it’s nothing new at the Domaine Pierre André in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Jacqueline André’s grandfather stopped using chemicals in his vines in 1963, and the domaine has been certified organic since 1980 – the first in the appellation.
As it turns out, he was onto something — some plots of the André family wines are now over 140 years old, and still producing gorgeous fruit. Pierre’s daughter Jacqueline now tends these ancient vines (she calls them her “grand dammes” or “old ladies”) with the love and attention usually reserved for family members. All of André’s grapes go into a single extraordinary cuvée – no luxury batch or cuvée speciale here — just one red, outstanding year in and year out.
As autumn here at last we’ve begun to shift back to “cozy wines” at our house – reds with mouthfilling textures, dark inky fruit, and long, layered finishes. So today we’re suggesting Jacqueline André’s magnificent Châteauneuf, the very definition of coziness. The 2019 is lush, round, and beautiful – it has the capacity to cellar much longer, but it was a showstopper at our Mushroomfest tasting over the weekend.
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André Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2019
bottle price:$59
