Les Clavelles Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2016

Les Clavelles is a single parcel of Grenache that sits atop Le Crau, the famed plateau of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. After years of careful selection, this plot of loamy sands dotted with large pebbles was identified for its unique ability to express the terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape within a single varietal. With a gentle southwest-facing slope, these vines benefit from direct sunlight in the late afternoon and the famed Mistral winds from the North. The grapes are hand-picked and hand-sorted before whole clusters are fermented in a wooden tank. Pump-overs and punch-downs occur daily during fermentation to ensure optimal extraction of compounds. Maceration lasts 3 weeks before aging for 12 months in foudres or large old oak casks (30%) and old oak barrels (70%).