Château de Nalys - Châteauneuf du Pape rouge 2019

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

A powerful palate with excellent fresh fruit. The tannins are well-integrated, the texture is velvety, and the finish is both taut and smooth; in this sunny vintage, the wine avoids the pitfall of excessive power.

About the estate:

Things are moving forward at the powerful Ampuis estate. In the north, Philippe Guigal no longer hides his desire to eventually go organic, and the recent plantings at the Le Plomb site were carried out to allow for winch-assisted work. But it is in the south where the most significant projects are underway, with a new winery set to be operational at Château de Nalys by the 2025 harvest and new buildings expected in 2026. Meanwhile, the first tastings—still unofficial—of La Reynarde, the future new jewel of Côte Rôtie, continue, proving to those who doubted it the beauty of the Fongeant terroir.

Decanter

About the wine:

A fresh and composed Châteauneuf style, mineral and elegant, without excess. Well-balanced, the oak is only faintly detectable in the background. It does, however, lend the wine length, adding a layer of complexity. This is a restrained and precise wine. Grown largely on soils of rounded pebbles, with some sand and hard sandstone, in the Bois Sénéchaux, La Crau, and Grand Pierre vineyards. Fermented and aged in various containers, primarily in truncated cone-shaped tanks and concrete tanks, with 15% of the aging taking place in new barrels.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

A long maceration lasting five weeks and a luxurious 24-month aging in barrels—20% of which were new—have shaped the character of this highly expressive wine. The nose offers aromas of wild berries and fresh walnuts, blended with hints of leather and star anise. This complexity is fully revealed on the palate, which is full-bodied and rich, adorned with powerful tannins and a fresh, licorice-like texture. We applaud the flawless harmony of this promising Châteauneuf, which has perfectly tamed the heat of 2019.

About the estate:

One of the oldest estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, first recorded in the 17th century when it was owned by the Nalys family. Its venerable vineyard (52 hectares) underwent a renaissance beginning in the 1950s. A staple of the appellation, it was acquired in 2017 by Maison Guigal. The transition to organic farming is underway.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Notes of vanilla, menthol, and cedar delicately characterize the nose of the 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grand Vin, which was aged in new oak barrels at a rate of approximately 20%. Raspberries and black cherries provide ample balance in this well-rounded wine that is worthy of aging. It is full-bodied and has an alcohol content 1% higher than that of its Saintes Pierres counterpart, with a rich, ripe palate, great concentration, and a long, velvety finish that adds notes of salty licorice. A delicious wine.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

Juicy fruit and the subtle sweetness of figs. A refined tannic structure with a light hint of caramel on the mid-palate—toasted oak. Sweet fruit and an explosion of blueberry flavor on the finish. A round and elegant palate, yet with textured tannins.

Vinous

James Suckling

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

The 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grand Vin offers greater depth, with a darker core of fruit and complex notes of peppery garrigue, clay soil, and incense. The balance is perfect; the wine is medium- to full-bodied with excellent tannins, making it a brilliant Châteauneuf-du-Pape with much to offer. It showcases the sunny style of the vintage without losing an ounce of its elegance and finesse. Give it 3 to 4 years in the bottle, and it should have an overall longevity of two decades.