Team C&J
Like a lot of other wine drinkers, we love a good Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but high-quality wines from the region can get pretty expensive. For most, these aren’t everyday drinking wines.
So when we discovered this bottle of 2017 Les Grandes Serres Châteauneuf-du-Pape has all of the great qualities that this superstar Southern Rhône wine region is known for, and it’s an affordable price – 2 bottles for $70 at BevMo, we were thrilled.
Les Grandes Serres is located near the Rhône River in the southern part of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. Until 2000, Les Grandes Serres was owned by Camille Serres, who founded the estate in 1977. The new purveyor, Michel Picard of Famille Picard, is a powerhouse Burgundian wine merchant who purchased the property as part of a larger business strategy for his Famille Picard brand that owns and manages over 300 acres in the heart of Burgundy.
The story of Famille Picard is a great rags-to-riches story. The now well-established Burgundy brand was created in 1951 by his father, Louis Picard, with just 4 acres of vineyard in the Côte Chalonnaise. The small family vineyard was incredibly important to Louis, and when Michel turned 15, he asked him to leave school to begin learning about the wine trade and vineyard management.
For Michel, it was a natural fit because, in the early 1970s, he took over the family business and grew its operations beyond anything his father imagined. He made his first estate acquisition in 1986 with Château de Davenay, which is known for its popular Montagny 1er Cru “Clos Chaudron”. Michel did not stop there, the Famille Picard holdings now include vines in world-famous regions like Chassagne-Montrachet, Saint-Aubin, Puligny- Montrachet, Aloxe-Corton, and beyond Burgundy in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The business remains a family affair with Michel’s daughter, Francine, at the helm.
Samuel Montgermont has been the head winemaker and Managing Director of the Châteauneuvoise for Grandes Serres since 2011. Samuel is more than a winemaker, he is one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s staunchest advocates and initially started his career in wine as a lawyer for the industry. Not only was he recently elected as the head of the Union des maisons de vins du Rhône (UMVR ), a professional organization that represents the Négociants of the Rhône Valley, but he is also the new president of France’s most powerful wine lobby, Vin & Société, that represents 500,000 vine and wine stakeholders.
Samuel has his work cut out for him. If you’re interested in the trajectory of the wine industry as a whole and the headwinds certain regions are facing, this interview in The Connexion is fascinating.
He discusses how, in his words, “Red wine’s consumption is decreasing because it is often associated with red meat and is suffering from more meat-free options in people’s diets.”
He also touches on the way younger drinkers embrace Champagne but turn away from red wines, which don’t largely appeal to them.
It’s interesting stuff, and what’s more interesting is that Samuel engages in all of these existential issues and still manages to make great wines for Grandes Serres!
The 2017 Les Grandes Serres Châteauneuf-du-Pape is blend of grenache (70%), mourvèdre (20%) and syrah (10%).
Châteauneuf-du-Pape winemakers are allowed to work with 13 grape varieties, but most use grenache as the dominant blending grape. Grenache provides an almost jammy dark fruit quality, while mourvèdre influences the wine’s structure to add elegance. A small amount of syrah is added to this wine to enhance the deep red color and add a touch of spice.
Right out of the gate, this wine draws you in with its complex nose. We found aromas of leather, classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape plum notes, raisin, black currant, and licorice. As the wine opens, earthiness in the form of graphite and a slightly “green” or vegetable aroma of celery is present.
The palate is similarly complex. Dark fruits like black cherry and black currant, but also dried fruits in the form of prunes and dates. An intriguing string of spice – we want to call this cinnamon and smoke – catches you mid-palate. And, this wouldn’t be a Châteauneuf-du-Pape without a little pepperiness.
Typical of well-made wines from the area, the finish is long and satisfying with competing sweet and savory notes.
The grapes for this bottle were hand-harvested from Les Grand Serres’s own vineyards and other neighboring leased vineyards. Winemaker Samuel Montgermont did a terrific job with this one, especially for the price.
Pairing Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines is easier than you may think. While these wines have a reputation for higher alcohol levels, particularly if you have an older vintage when alcohol levels trended between 15-16%, they are incredibly food friendly.
The flavor profile, while bold, can also be elegant, minerally, fruit-forward, and savory. They really are intriguing wines. That said, one could pair Châteauneuf-du-Pape with herb-roasted poultry, leg of lamb, and heartier game meats like rabbit or gourmet burgers. You really can’t go wrong with this wine.
France
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
14.5
N/A
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Burgundy
60 to 90 Minutes
Now to 2027
Les Grandes Serres
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