Domaine Mathieu Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge

Domaine Mathieu has been family-run since the 17th century. In fact, until 1980, a concrete tank could be found in the family's kitchen, and every harvest season the kitchen had to be vacated to facilitate the production. The Mathieu brothers, Andre and Jerome, now manage the property which consists of 49.4 acres classified as Chateauneuf-du-Pape and over 9 acres as Cote du Rhone. Theirs is a traditional winemaking mantra learned from the generations before and utilizing all thirteen grapes authorized by the AOC. They prefer a truly spontaneous fermentation, so temperatures are not regulated. Andre Mathieu insists that they want minimum oxygenation during fermentation and no taste of oak; their 100-year old foudres ("giant casks") have helped immensely in this goal. These wines are ripe, powerful, and sumptuous. This wine is made from vines of about 65 years old and aged in foudres for 8-12 months.