schiller-wine: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château La Nerthe, Châteauneuf du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Pictures: Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château La Nerthe, Châteauneuf du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

Berry Bros. and Rudd: Château La Nerthe is one of the oldest producers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The château itself was built in the 18^th century, but winery records stretch back as far as 1560.

The Richard family – which also manages various other estates in Beaujolais, Bordeaux and elsewhere in the Rhône – owns the estate. La Nerthe boasts 90 hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, two-thirds of which surround the château, while the final third is located on the famous plateau of La Crau. All the vineyards are farmed organically.

The soils here are a mixture of sandy clay and marl, as well as the typical galets roulés. The property is fortunate to have a natural spring within its grounds, which is incredibly beneficial to the vines in this often drought-prone region.

Although the property has plantings of all 13 of the appellation’s permitted varietals, Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah dominate the red blend. The estate has one of the highest proportions of white vines in the region and produces a special white cuvée – Clos de Beauvenir – from the clos directly in front of the château.

Since young and dynamic winemaker Ralph Garcin joined the estate in 2016, small yet significant changes have been made here. Ralph has introduced vinification by plot, investing in smaller fermentation tanks and larger ageing vessels to showcase the quality of the fruit in the cellar. He’s also been making improvements to their viticultural practices, such as introducing organic farming.

Pictures: Arriving at Château La Nerthe

Kobrandwineandspirits.com: Château La Nerthe is in contention for being one of the oldest estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Historical documents from 1560 mention the estate. The historic Château was built in 1736. Château La Nerthe deserves credit for being one of the first estates to bottle their own wine. This took place to some extent starting in 1784. Château La Nerthe is one of the first, if not the first estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to export their wine outside of France. Another first that belongs to the estate is that Château La Nerthe began the practice of destemming 100% of their vines in the 1800’s. By this point in time, Château La Nerthe was the most expensive wine from the Southern Rhône.

In 1870, the Tulle de Villefranche family sold the property to the Joseph Ducos family. The sale took place in part, because of the devastation caused to the vineyards by Phylloxera. The Ducos family maintained ownership of the property until 1941 when Château La Nerthe was bought at an auction by the Leclerc and Motte families. Following World War 11, the spelling for the estate was changed. Instead of Château La Nerthe, the estate was renamed, Château La Nerte. Please note, the “h” was dropped.

By 1985, Château La Nerthe had become dilapidated and was put up for sale by the Dereumaux family. The following year, in 1986, the property changed hands. The new owners of La Nerthe are the Richard family in a partnership with David and Foillard negociants. A complete renovation of the estate took place and much of the vineyards were replanted. The new owners changed the spelling back to what it was by adding back the “h.” The new labels once again displayed the original spelling of Château La Nerthe. In 1991, Château La Nerthe was able to expand their holdings with the purchase of 54 acres of vines, which helped to create one of the largest estates in the Southern Rhône with 222 acres under vine. Starting with the 2015 vintage, Ralph Garcin was placed in charge of the estate and its winemaking. Ralph Garcin previously worked for Jaboulet in Hermitage.

Pictures: Cellar Tour at Château La Nerthe

Château La Nerthe - Points of Distinction

Kobrandwineandspirits.com: Exceptional, sloped terroir with soils of sandy-clay and a layer of large, round, well-worn galet stones.

All the terroirs of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in a single estate.

All 13 of the permitted primary varietals are planted.

Average vine age over 40 years old.

Certified AB Organic since 1998.

A veteran, acclaimed winemaking team and a rich, unique history.

Pictures: Tasting at Château La Nerthe

The Wines we Tasted

We tasted 4 wines.

2017 Château La Nerthe AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

littlebroswine.com: This large (92 hectares), historic estate produces ample, fleshy white Chateauneufs that provide lots of immediate appeal but also possess the depth to reward patience. The traditional bottling is raised in a combination of stainless steel tanks for Clairette, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc, and oak barriques for Roussanne, some of them new. The star white here is the Clos de Beauvenir, which is sourced from a single, walled plot just south of the Chateau that is planted mostly to Roussanne and Clairette, along with bits of Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc. It is consistently a knockout and is built to age, but be warned, only about 250 cases are made, on average, per vintage. - From Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc: 2016 & 2017 (Oct 2018) by Josh Raynolds

2015 Les Cassagnes de la Nerthe Côtes du Rhône Villages

Alcohol 13.50%, Unoaked

25% Grenache Blanc / Garnacha Blanca
25% Roussanne
50% Viognier

2015 Château La Nerthe AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate - There's almost 20% new oak in this 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape, which gives it an overlay of exotic toasted coconut and vanilla aromas and flavors. Beyond that, there's ample weight, hints of cinnamon and clove and cherry fruit that lingers on the silky finish

2013 Château La Nerthe AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge

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Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Cellar Tour and Tasting at Château La Nerthe, Châteauneuf du Pape - Rhône Valley Tour 2018 by ombiasy WineTours: Wine, Culture and History, France

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