Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge La Plume du Peintre 2020
Domaine de la Mordorée
Mordorée's La Plume du Peintre is the estate's prestige cuvée, sourced from the oldest Grenache vines on the property. The 2020 vintage benefited from the Rhône's sun-scorched growing season, concentrating fruit intensity while the galets roulés — the famous sun-baked stones of Châteauneuf — radiated stored heat back into the canopy at night. This is heat's legacy in a glass.
Nose
Crushed blackcurrant and ripe cherry dominate, with a swooping undercurrent of dried violet and garrigue herbs. Toasted spice from oak adds depth without masking the fruit. A subtle gamey, almost meaty quality emerges with air.
Palate
Dense and layered, with a velvety mouthfeel that carries dark berry fruit, licorice, and cedar. The tannins are ripe and fine-grained, providing structure without austerity. A mint-like freshness lifts the mid-palate, balancing the wine's considerable power.
Finish
Long and persistent, with blackcurrant, toasted herbs, and a warming, slightly peppery close.
- Varietal
- Grenache
- Blend
- Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre
- Vineyards
- Oldest parcels across multiple Châteauneuf-du-Pape lieux-dits
- Alcohol
- 15.0%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
Slow-braised lamb shoulder with rosemary and black olive tapenade
Produced by the Delorme family at Domaine de la Mordorée in Tavel, this prestige cuvée is drawn from the estate's oldest Grenache vines planted on the iconic stone-covered terraces of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Tenuta delle Terre Nere Etna Rosso San Lorenzo 2021
Tenuta delle Terre Nere
Marc de Grazia's Terre Nere estate produces some of Etna's most expressive contrada wines, and San Lorenzo is a standout: old Nerello Mascalese vines rooted in ancient lava flows deliver a wine of rare transparency. This is not fruit-driven in the obvious sense — it is terroir speaking through fruit. Think Burgundy by way of a volcano.
Domaine de la Côte Pinot Noir Sola Tierra 2021
Domaine de la Côte
Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman's Sola Tierra block sits on diatomaceous earth soils that produce some of the most transparent Pinot Noir in California. This is a wine of direction rather than power — it knows exactly where it's going and arrives with grace. If you're still looking for California Pinot that can stand alongside Burgundy Premier Cru, start here.
Château Pibran Pauillac 2019
Château Pibran
Château Pibran punches well above its price in the 2019 vintage. Owned by AXA Millésimes (who also own Pichon Baron), it benefits from the same meticulous attention and top-tier terroir. The tension between ripe fruit generosity and classic Pauillac austerity makes it both immediately enjoyable and cellaring-worthy.
Luciano Sandrone Barbera d'Alba 2021
Luciano Sandrone
Sandrone's Barbera is always a masterclass in restraint and fruit purity. The 2021 vintage delivered ideal conditions in Piedmont, and this wine captures the variety's defining bright acidity alongside ripe, generous fruit. It over-performs for Barbera d'Alba — the kind of bottle that reminds you why this grape deserves a permanent place at the table, not just as Barolo's understudy.