Clos du Mont-Olivet - Lirac 2021 (750ml)

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Price: $34.99

3+ Price: $33.99 / btl

6+ Price: $31.99 / btl

12+ Price: $29.99 /btl

Producer	Clos du Mont-Olivet
Country	France
Region	Lirac
Varietal	Proprietary Blend
Vintage	2021
Sku	123454
Size	750ml

Clos du Mont-Olivet Description

DIO

Tasting Notes
"Seductive notes of violet, cherry and lilac are up front in this perfumed red, backed by graphite shavings and chalky fine tannins that drive surprising length. Ripe and supple, this is a forward style yet carries its opulence well. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvdre and Cinsault. Drink now through 2028."

The Wine
Practicing organic
65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvdre, 5% Cinsault
Lirac is just across the Rhne river from Chteauneuf du Pape
A gentle slope northeast facing (most of Lirac on a plateau)
Grown on sandy clay, with limestone and galets rouls
35+ year old vines
50% whole cluster
Indigenous yeast
Aged in 50% foudres, 40% cement, 10% older barrels/demi-muids

The Estate
One of the benchmark producers of Chteauneuf-du-Papethe consistent results have always been classic Chteauneuf-du-Papes that stand the test of time. Robert Parker
Consistently outstanding, classic Ctes du Rhnes and Chteauneuf du Papes emerge from Clos du Mont-Olivet, run by the incredibly talented and thoughtful Thierry Sabon for a number of years now. Jeb Dunnuck

Clos du Mont-Olivet is a true insiders Chteauneuf-du-Pape and Lirac domaine. Often described as a beacon of traditionalism, the domaine makes Rhne wines that value freshness and elegance over bombastic prowess. Founded in the mid-16th century, the estate today is run by the dynamic and talented Thierry Sabon and encompasses parcels of mainly 60+ year old vines in the heart of Chteauneuf and Lirac. The wines are classical in style, with heady, complex aromatics, and garrigue-laden fruit that tastes of the stones that comprise the fascinating soils of the area. Thierrys minimalist approach which highlights his terroir, has garnered him vast praise across the wine world, as Southern Rhne wines rarely speak so clearly and eloquently of their terroir. It has become clear over the many years that Thierry has been in charge of this classic estate, that the quality of Clos du Mont-Olivet has never been higher, and the value represented by their extraordinary lineup stands as a bastion to historic Chteauneuf and Lirac.
About Clos du Mont Olivet
The wines of this estate, which traces its history back to 1547, are among the finest of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Run by the esteemed Sabon family, Clos du Mont-Olivet is made in a traditional style: partial destemming of grapes, crushing and fermenting in concrete vats, and aging in large foudres.

Making wine is a family affair at Clos du Mont Olivet, and the three Sabon brothers -- Jean-Claude, Pierre and Bernard have run the domaine for the last 30 years, with Bernard's son Thierry gradually assuming winemaking duties, starting gradually in 2001. The wines are composed predominantly of Grenache (usually around 80%), with Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault completing the blend. The vines of this estate average over 60 years old.

The 29-hectares of Chateauneuf du Pape that the domaine holds (they also have 17ha of Cotes du Rhone vineyards) is made up of many small parcels, spread throughout the appellation, that vary in size between 21 ares and 3 hectares. Montalivet is a walled vineyard to the east that surrounds the domaine and features the Sabons' oldest vines. Since 1990, these grapes have formed the basis for the deluxe "Cuvée Papet" – an amazingly concentrated and complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Further north, Le Pied-de-Baud contains "galets roulés," the large oval rocks for which Châteauneuf-du-Pape is well-known. Although the vines here are younger, the spherical stones reflect the intense southern-Rhone sun, thereby ripening the grapes to full maturity. The third primary section of vines, located to the south, is known as Les Gallimades, a plot of smaller stones and gravel with excellent drainage.

Blending wines sourced from these three areas, the Sabons fashion complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape that combines the fruit intensity and alcoholic strength of Grenache with a slight and appealing hint of rusticity. It only makes sense that such a renowned Châteauneuf producer would also make fabulous Cotes-du-Rhone, which indeed they do; year after year, these are among the best Cotes-du-Rhone values to be found.