2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Château La Nerthe, Rhône

The final blend this year will be 44% Grenache, 37% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, the Syrah now nearly achieving parity with the Grenache and in terms of taste profile it’s certainly just as influential. Maturation has been 63% in barrel, 37% in foudre and the wine rejoices in classic ripeness and purity, aromatic and subtle intensity. An archetype from the modern end of the spectrum.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Wine Buyer

Christian Voeux, with decades of experience at Mont Redon, is now really getting into his stride at the la Nerthe, probably the only property in the village which deserves its ‘château’ prefix. He describes 2012 as a Burgundian vintage, its hallmarks he cites as finesse with latent power. Both Cadettes and Beauvenir have been made this year, in itself a telling sign.. The low yields have engendered concentration and the growing season has favoured Syrah, which is a larger than usual shareholder in the blends. The putative Nerthe share price is rising all the time, it seems.