2020 Domaine Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf du Pâpe Rouge Felix
WINEMAKER: Jean-Paul Versino
REGION: Rhône Valley, FR
VARIETAL: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah
VITICULTURE: Organic
"This is a special cuvée made from the oldest vines, with a high proportion of Mourvèdre in the blend (30%). It's not made every year and we have not had it for a while. It is very dense and peppery, full of garrigue accented fruit and a kirsch laden finish; this is a deep and serious wine for the cellar." - Andrew Guard
Jean-Paul Versino at Bois de Boursan is one of the few growers who stick resolutely to traditional methods and his wines stand out for their wonderfully classical frame and style. This is the Burgundy of the South. The property was founded in 1955 by Jean Versino and continues to be operated today by his son Jean-Paul. This is a modest, 10-hectare property, with all the vineyards located inside the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Vine age spans from 55 to 95 years, with all farming at Bois de Boursan performed organically and without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The property is carved up into 37 small sub-parcels, and while most modern producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape work almost exclusively with Grenache, Jean-Paul works with all 13 permitted varieties for the appellation. This creates a complex mosaic of aromas and textures that is rarely found in the region.
Similarly, vinification for this wine is über-traditional: grapes are left almost entirely in whole clusters (15% were de-stemmed in 2016) with the maceration on skins extending for at least three weeks. This is followed by 24 months in giant, neutral oak foudres.