2007 Clos Saint-Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus Ex Machina
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International Wine Cellar | Rating: 96
($425) Glass-staining ruby. The nose offers a drop-dead sexy array of berry, floral and mineral scents, along with nuances of spicecake and black olive. Impressively deep and sweet but also energetic, displaying dense red and dark fruit liqueur flavors and sexy floral pastille and baking spice qualities. The mineral quality comes on strong with air and lends lift and urgency to the very long, spicy finish. This is slightly more elegant than the Comte des Fous but just as potent.Author: Josh RaynoldsIssue: January/February 2010Jancis Robinson | Rating: 15
Grenache Noir 60%, Mourvedre 40%ÿ Heady and high toned. Very sweet, but with a slightly odd wood note. Drying tannins on the finish. This seems to taste more of winemaking than of the vineyard. Too much wood influence? Very drying finish. Lacks the juicy frankness of some cuv‚es, although it certainly doesn't lack ambition.Drink Dates: 2012-2017Author: Jancis RobinsonWine Advocate | Rating: 100
A bigger, richer, more masculine style than the la Combe des Fous, the powerhouse styled 2007 Châteauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina is an insanely good wine that has a huge nose of roasted meats, crushed rocks, graphite, spice and black currants. It has a serious amount of tannin, but they’re still covered by a wealth of fruit, and it’s impeccably balanced and doesn’t have a hard edge anywhere. It’s killer stuff today, but like the Combe des Fous, it has an additional 10-15 years of prime drinking and will keep even longer.Drink Dates: 2012 - 2032Author: Jeb DunnuckIssue: 229Wine Spectator | Rating: 96
This offers the heady, opulent fig, crushed plum and boysenberry fruit of the vintage, but allies it to a racy graphite and incense-infused structure. Superlong, with black tea, warm fig reduction, chocolate and roasted apple wood notes that really stretch out the finish. Great underlying acidity holds it all together. Very impressive.Drink Dates: 2010-2030Author: James MolesworthIssue: Nov 15, 2009Jeb Dunnuck | Rating: 100
A blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, the perfect 2007 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina is similar to the ’05 with its amazing purity, texture and length. On the nose, toasted spice, beef blood, grilled meat and garrigue literally jump from the glass and are framed by perfectly ripe, licorice infused fruit. The palate is deeper and more structured than the Combe des Fous and is a perfect blend of suave, elegant fruit and power, structure and intensity. The massive fruit and unbelievable texture almost make it hard to find the structure to the wine but the edge and tannic backbone on the finish are truly something. I’d drink this any time but the recommendation per the domaine is to cellar for a number of years.Drink Dates: 2009 - 2034Author: Jeb DunnuckIssue: 8/1/2009Vinous | Rating: 96
Glass-staining ruby. The nose offers a drop-dead sexy array of berry, floral and mineral scents, along with nuances of spicecake and black olive. Impressively deep and sweet but also energetic, displaying dense red and dark fruit liqueur flavors and sexy floral pastille and baking spice qualities. The mineral quality comes on strong with air and lends lift and urgency to the very long, spicy finish. This is slightly more elegant than the Comte des Fous but just as potent.Author: Josh RaynoldsIssue: Jan 2010
Today, Pascal and Vincent Maurel manage the estate. They brought in Philippe Cambie in 2002 as their consultant. The vineyards of Clos Saint Jean are planted on 44 hectares located on the stony terroir of La Crau. 1 hectare of vines is reserved for grapes used in making white Chateauneuf du Pape wine. Clos Saint Jean believes in complete destemming of the berries. The maceration period is long and can last up to 35 days. The Grenache is never aged in any type of wood. The Mourvedre and Syrah is aged in a combination of one year old and two year old oak barrels.
While the Northern Rhône is known mostly for single-varietal wines from Syrah or Viognier, the Southern Rhône is known for complex blends. Châteauneuf-du-Pape, for example, allows up to 13 different varieties in a blend leaving winemakers ample room to experiment. This variation makes it almost impossible to describe a typical Rhône blend. Regardless of style, the common goal of these winemakers is to manage high tannin and alcohol levels in order to produce a balanced wine.
The most widely planted variety, Grenache, dominates most Rhône blends and adds concentrated spiced red fruit flavors with cinnamon, raspberry, and tobacco characteristics. Syrah and Mourvèdre add color and tannin, with Syrah contributing aromas of blueberry, pepper, and bacon while Mourvèdre adds dense black fruit flavors and gamey and meaty aromas. Cinsault provides red fruit flavor. For the best expression of this complex blend turn to Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and classic producers like Château de Beaucastel, Clos des Papes, or Domaine du Pegau.
Many New-World wine regions, particularly in California and Australia, have adopted this winemaking method. The best examples come from San Luis Obispo producers Saxum, Sine Qua Non, and Alban.
The complexity and spice-forward flavor profile of Rhône blends pair best with herb-roasted turkey, pork chops, a range of cheeses, or spiced vegetables.
Collector Data For This Wine
- 390 bottles owned
- 79 collectors