![]()
Founded in 1932, Clos du Mont-Olivet is a historic and renowned winery in the region. The winery owns 43.5 hectares of vineyards, 20.5 of which are located in the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous and important wine-producing region in the Southern Rhône Valley. Influenced by the Mistral wind, the vineyards enjoy a cool climate, and the diverse soil types support a variety of grape varieties. However, the primary red grape varieties in Châteauneuf-du-Pape are Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre; the GSM blend of these three is Châteauneuf-du-Pape's signature wine. Blending grapes and varieties from different plots is a tradition and staple of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. Within Clos du Mont-Olivet's vineyards, these individual plots vary in soil type, slope, altitude, and exposure to the sun. The higher-altitude, cooler, sandier vineyards are of incalculable importance to the nuance and balance of Clos du Mont-Olivet's wines.
Region
Châteauneuf-du-Pape's soil is characterized by its stacked pebbles, a predominant soil type within the appellation. However, the appellation's premier wine, Château Rayas, is composed entirely of vineyards on sandy soil. Grenache Noir is a vibrant variety, but on sandy soils, it can appear less vibrant. Perhaps it's this subtle difference that creates the elegant, fine-grained texture of Château Rayas's wines, unmatched by other châteaux. The late Château Rayas winemaker, Jacques Reynaud, once said, "Fine soil equals fine wine. Those giant pebbles are useless and do more harm than good!"
Nowadays, Château Rayas's wines have become prohibitively expensive. Clos du Mont-Olivet, another RVF three-star winery with many sandy vineyards and a relatively affordable price, has become a good alternative.
Clos du Mont-Olivet harvests its grapes by hand, undergoing double sorting in the fields and in the cellar. Fermentation is primarily based on native yeasts and cement vats, with a focus on moderate extraction. Most of the wines are aged in large, old wooden vats, with a mix of medium and small oak barrels. Clos du Mont-Olivet's creations present a captivating fusion of tradition and modernity: its wines are a complex tapestry of carved beams and painted buildings, a pristine, magnificent summer palace. If Château Rayas is compared to the ancient city of Petra, then Clos du Mont-Olivet is like the Grand Mosque of Abu Dhabi; the two offer starkly different landscapes and aesthetics.
This Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wine from Domaine des Oliviers is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. These three grapes are fermented together in tanks in appropriate proportions, avoiding over-extraction and prioritizing balance, elegance, and freshness. During fermentation and maturation, these three grapes complement each other, creating a wine of complexity and depth. Grenache makes up the largest portion of the blend. Despite its lighter color, it contributes red fruit flavors like raspberry to the wine while also increasing alcohol. Syrah, on the other hand, boasts rich fruit, offering dark fruit flavors like blueberry and plum, while also adding a savory, body-enhancing flavor. Mourvèdre makes up the smallest portion of the blend, but its contribution is significant, adding complexity, increasing tannins, and enhancing the finish.
To protect these old vines, the winery avoids pesticides and instead employs biological methods to prevent pests from mating and reproducing. These meticulously cared-for vines, having grown for decades or even centuries, have deep roots embedded in the soil, allowing them to draw nutrients from deep within. In exceptional vintages, these old vines produce high-quality Grenache grapes, which are used to make this Papeté wine.
Rating
Wine Advocate 99 pts
Possibly the finest example of the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Papet since Mont Olivet’s unreal 1990, the 2010 is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah, all aged in foudre. The grapes come from the estate’s oldest vines (50- to 105-years-old), which were planted in the famous sites of Mont Olivet and Bois Dauphin. A extraordinarily deep plum/purple color is followed by notes of balsam wood, raspberries, black currants, lavender, garrigue, kirsch, licorice and underbrush. This quintessential Chateauneuf du Pape smells like an open-air Provencal market. It is a full-bodied, full-throttle, multilayered wine with exceptional concentration, power and precision. While it can be approached now, it will not hit its prime for another 3-4 years, and should last for two decades given how well the 1990 continues to perform. One of the first properties to estate bottle their wines (over 80 years ago), Clos du Mont Olivet is owned by a branch of the Sabon family, a name that is well-known throughout the village of Chateauneuf du Pape.
Vinous 95 pts
The 2olo Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Cuvée du Papet is flat-out stunning. Prominent spice box,forest floor,ivy,dried red fruits and cassis pastilles race out of the glass. Precisely outlined by ripe tannins, the full-bodied 2olO carries spot-onbalance,superblyintegrating itselevatedalcohol.Totallysavoryandwonderfullylayered,thisisaterrific La Cuvée du Papet that should continue to drink well for another ten years. That said, there's no need to wait-it has already entered its broad drinking window.
