Domaine de la Mordorée - Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois 2021

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

The domaine offers expressive wines from the finest crus of the Vaucluse and Gard regions. Everything is done with the utmost respect for the terroirs, with the determination to produce wines worthy of their potential. Madeleine Delorme, accompanied by her daughter Ambre, carry on with great care and determination in the spirit of excellence that is the hallmark of the domaine and this winegrowing family. A superb range of saline, fleshy whites and deep, delicate reds, driven by thirst-quenching tension and fine balance. The domaine's style is increasingly racy and precise. The fourth star is fast approaching.

Decanter

About the wine:

The nose is magnificent, already showing spicy, woody complexity. The tannins are abundant and will need time to settle, but the fruit is opulent enough to wait. Very long finish. Made mainly from galets roulés from the Bois de la Ville, La Crau and La Nerthe vineyards, 80% fermented and aged in stainless steel, 20% in old barrels. All de-stemmed.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

A wide range of grape varieties make up this deep, well-aged Châteauneuf, which impresses with its concentrated color and dense tears. A nose that's still quiet but fine, with subtle fragrances of blueberry, juniper and menthol, opens onto a fresh, long and powerful palate, anchored by fine, fat tannins and underlined by restrained acidity that gives you time to see what's coming. Keeps well.

About the domain :

Created in 1986 by Francis Delorme and his son Christophe, the 58-hectare estate (certified organic and biodynamic) is spread over 38 parcels and eight communes. Following Christophe's untimely death in 2015, his wife Madeleine and their daughter Ambre took over the reins of the estate. A firm believer in small yields, the Delorme family is equally at home with tavel, lirac, châteauneuf-du-pape and "simple" côtes-du-rhône. Not to be missed.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Bottled just two weeks before my tasting, the Châteauneuf du Pape La Reine des Bois 2021 was nonetheless impressive, displaying lovely cherry and berry notes. Medium to full-bodied, it was quite acidic and nervous, with rather dry tannins (perhaps linked to its recent bottling), but it showed great concentration and length.

James Suckling

About the wine:

A complex, beautifully balanced Châteauneuf for this difficult vintage, with a broad spectrum of fruit aromas from ripe cherry to wild blackberry, but also wild herbs and summer flowers. It is barely full-bodied, thanks to its mineral freshness and crisp tannins. Cuvée composed of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and 5% Vacarese. Made from Demeter-certified biodynamically grown grapes. For drinking or cellaring.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

The flagship Châteauneuf Du Pape cuvée La Reine Des Bois 2021 has a slightly deeper hue, with more blackberries and darker cherries, mixed with notes of grilled herbs, black licorice and peppery garrigue. It's concentrated and medium to full-bodied, with a solid structure and a lovely finish. I'd compare it to the crème de la crème of the vintage. Enjoy it over the next 10 to 15 years. The 2021 is a normal blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and the rest Vaccarèse, from Le Bois de la Ville, La Crau and La Nerthe, de-stemmed and aged mainly in stainless steel (80%), the rest in used barrels and some new oak.