Critical Acclaim

International Wine Report 93 - The 2012 ‘Piedlong' Châteauneuf-du-Pape is an absolutely gorgeous wine from the Brunier family. It immediately opens up with beautiful aromas of dark cherry, raspberry, licorice, spices, white pepper, lavender and wild herbs. This continues to impress on the palate with its soft, round texture and remarkable finesse, which transitions beautifully all the way through the velvety finish. Even at this early stage this blend of 90% Grenache from 70-year-old vines and 10% Mourvèdre from 50-year-old vines is showing phenomenal and impossible to resist, but there is no need to rush, this has wonderful aging potential as well

Wine Advocate - A new wine that will now replace the l'Accent cuvee from Domaine la Roquete (and going forward, there will be no more red wine produced from the la Roquete estate), the 2012 Piedlong Chateauneuf du Pape is a superb looking tank sample. Comprised of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvedre and vinified all in wood tank, with 30% whole-cluster, it possesses medium to full-bodied richness, firm tannin and excellent purity, with plenty of blackberry fruit, dried spice and licorice on the nose. Give it a couple years in the cellar and it should impress through 2024.
Range: 91-93

Here is a bottle that does not possess all the ingredients of what is called a cuvée spéciale. No barriques, because the wine is aged in foudres for 2 years. No super-charged extraction, no blackness of colour, and no record-breaking alcohol scores. No, there is none of that. Domaine La Roquetes idea was not to violate the natural character of Grenache, quite the contrary. They wish to let it blossom gently, classically. To respect its requirements while it unveils all the minerality of the soil in which it is rooted. All the balance and elegance it yields in the great years. And, of course, all the richness we associate with it. For Grenache has the great quality of not cannibalising the terroir for its own benefit; rather, it develops the terroirs personality for the greater pleasure of enthusiasts who love profound, genuine and serious wines.