Wow, this dazzling beauty is a thrill ride straight out of the gate and clearly the finest vintage of Château La Nerthe’s rarest bottling (merely two barrels crafted for the entire world). The hypnotic experience commences with a bouquet of Star Gazer lilies and holiday potpourri. We adored the symphony of lavish flavors including kirsch, framboise, black cherry, blueberry and a monumentally delicious finish that dazzled with notes of white chocolate truffles. This exotic new release is perfectly balanced, ultra-pure, precise now while the velvety tannins bode for aging another decade. Les Clavelles is a single parcel of insanely glorious red fruit from Château La Nerthe’s historic estate which dates back to the twelfth century. These vineyards are adjacent to Clos du Papes, which is coincidental as this rare bottling reminds us of ‘perfect’ vintages (e.g. 2016) from that legendary estate. Pair with grilled meats for a near-perfect 99 point experience now and this thoroughbred could merit triple digits in the coming years. Enjoy through 2030.

The Winery

Château La Nerthe is a leading estate in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region of the southern Rhône Valley. The estate has been producing wine since the 12th Century, but its reputation has been largely earned by current proprietors the Richard family, who bought the property in a run-down state in 1985. The red wines are generally regarded as being more softly structured and more modern in style than some of the other top estates.