2020 Domaine de Ferrand Châteauneuf du Pâpe Rouge

WINEMAKER: Philippe Bravay
REGION: Côtes du Rhône, FR
VARIETAL: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault
VITICULTURE: Organic

"Philippe is making one of the finest examples of essentially old vine Grenache wines in the world today, fermented in open concrete cuve beton and aged in tank it is a wine of considerable style and grace and despite all the plaudits, it remains priced very fairly indeed. This 2020 is another superb release from Philippe has made up there with his 2015 I think and this will obviously repay careful cellaring handsomely.

Tasted from tank in May 2022, despite infancy it has a very vibrant and aromatic array of red fruit and flowers with an attractive lift of raspberries and red plums, as well as spiced herbs and garrigue. The palate has a very sapid and assertive, red-cherry core with a thread of tannin that enables to wine to carry long in the mouth. This has power yet is elegant and has a vibrant beauty. Like his friend and neighbour, Laurent Charvin, Philippe uses no oak in this wine, only concrete and tanks." - Andrew Guard

Although only a few will ever get to enjoy these wines as the domaine is very small (only 5 ½ ha in Châteauneuf du Pâpe and 10 in Côtes du Rhône, which over half is on vines approaching 100 years old) they are well worth the hunt. All the vines are situated in the lieu-dit Chemin Saint Jean, the same Northern holy grail as Charvin, Beaucastel, Marcoux and La Vieille Julienne. Current custodian Philippe Bravay uses organic growing techniques and limits yields severely (his Côtes du Rhône yields less than 2 tonnes to the acre, and the Châteauneuf du Pâpe much less) vinification is traditional: open top fermenters, basket presses, and cement cuves.