Domaine de la Solitude Chateauneuf-du-Pape 'Vin de la Solitude', Rhone, France 2021

Florent Lancon is the 8^th generation of his family to make wine at Solitude. They are located in the best part of CDP, the La Crau peninsula. He is a descendant of the 12^thcentury Barberini family of Rome, and has a Pope and two Cardinals on his family tree. They were also the first family to bottle and label a Chateauneuf du Pape in the 17^thcentury.

This wine is a tribute to our ancestor Paul Martin, who was one of the first French Vignerons to sell his wine in bottles in the 18th century under the name “Vin de la Solitude”. We have reissued the four original labels of « Vin de la Solitude » for this wine. This wine is elaborated in the state of wine art in the 18th century. Our researches showed that the blends were very different, where Grenache grape variety did not use to dominate. The wines were made of a large number of co-fermented grape varieties. Macerations were longer than they are nowadays.

"The intriguing 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Vin de la Solitude features a large proportion of Counoise, plus Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and up to 20% white grapes. It's all whole cluster and ages entirely in barrel, but the results speak for themselves. Rose petals, dried spices and black cherries all join together on the complex nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate adds hints of dark chocolate and wild herbs. It's silky, long and elegant, a fascinating expression of Châteauneuf-du-Pape." Wine Advocate 94