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2003 Cuvee du Vatican Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Sixtine

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

August 13, 2023 - $40

Estimate

RATINGS

97Jeb Dunnuck

The nose shows beautiful dark, smoky fruit, cassis and earth notes with wax, minerals and spiced meat notes showing up in the background... The palate is fruit driven and is full bodied with awesome concentration, perfect balance, serious structure and plenty of fine grained tannins on the long finish.

95Robert M. Parker Jr.

...big, sweet nose of smoky plums and black currants intermixed with licorice, garrigue, underbrush, and scorched earth. Full-bodied, powerful, concentrated, meaty notes come across like steak au poivre.

95Wine Spectator

A superb core of blackberry, boysenberry and black currant fruit stands amidst cocoa, mineral, licorice and tar flavors. Densely structured but perfectly ripe, with a long finish that cascades with both fruit and terroir.

92Stephen Tanzer

REGION

France, Rhône Valley, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the appellation, is a large area of nearly 8,000 vineyard acres centered around the picturesque town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Located in southeastern France just north of the Avignon hills, the name of the appellation means “new castle of the pope” and it is a reference to the 14th century, when the Popes of Avignon built summer homes in the Southern Rhone Valley. Today the appellation is one of the most renowned in France and its terroir is known for layers of small pebbles, called “galets.” The stones in the soil are thought to help store heat and keep the soil warm, which helps ripen the grapes. The stones also help keep the soil from drying out in hot summer months. In 1923 Châteauneuf-du-Pape was a leader in establishing the idea that AOC wines in France should be made only with specified grapes, and the appellation allowed 13 grape varieties to be used. Since then the rules have been slightly modified to include several more allowable grapes. Red and white wines are produced, though in practice about 97% of all Châteauneuf –du-Papes are reds made with a blend of Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Counoise, Mourvedre, Muscardine, Syrah and Vaccarese. The red wines of this appellation are prized for being big, rich, spicy and full-bodied. White wines of the appellation are made with Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picpoul and Picardin. Whites are floral, fruity and relatively full-bodied.