REGION
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley, France
VARIETAL
Grenache + 5 other varieties
TASTING NOTES
95pts - Vinous
"Saturated magenta. Highly perfumed raspberry and cherry liqueur, exotic spice, incense and potpourri aromas are complicated by hints of musky herbs and smoky minerals. Juicy, seamless and energetic on the palate, offering pliant red berry, cherry cola, allspice and lavender flavors that show superb definition and back-end lift. Polished, even tannins lend grip to a strikingly long, penetrating finish that echoes the floral and mineral notes."
92pts - Wine Advocate
"From a parcel of vines planted in 1902—about 95% Grenache, with a few other varieties interplanted—the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale doesn't appear to measure up to the prodigious efforts in prior (or successive) vintages. It has intricate herbal nuances and scents of cranberries on the nose, and while the fruit is more cherry-like on the palate, it remains a bit tight and ungenerous. Perhaps I just caught this at a difficult stage in its evolution, as the long finish is reassuringly supple and silky. I suspect time will show that I've underrated it, but I can just report on my findings from that day of blind-tasting."
95pts - Jeb Dunnuck
"The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Impériale is almost all Grenache (there’s 5% of other varieties), and it’s another gorgeous wine from this estate. Reminding me of a great Gevrey-Chambertin with its darker red and black fruits, peppery herbs, earth, and flowery incense, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness and has ripe tannins, wonderful balance, and a great finish. This pure, unadulterated, incredibly compelling Grenache needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will deliver the goods for upwards of two decades."
96pts - James Suckling
"Deep, spicy and fragrant, this is a very concentrated and elegant Chateauneuf-du-Pape with remarkably fine tannins and floral delicacy alongside its earthy primacy. Mainly produced from grenache vines planted in 1901 and 1902. From Demeter-certified biodynamically grown grapes. Drink or hold."
(Biodynamic)