Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Generations Gaston Philippe 2017,5087 (Chateau de la Gardine)

Drink now or cellar for up to 20 years. Decant 1 hour before serving. The Brunel family purchased Chateau de la Gardine in 1945, but they have been renowned winemakers since the 17th century. Today the property is run by two generations of Brunels who take care of their 52 hectares of prime vineyards and 20 hectares of woodland planted to boost the biodiversity of the land. Looking at the bottle you’ll immediately notice a unique feature of Chateau de la Gardine, their iconic bottle design. This shape was inspired aby an ancient bottle that the original owner Gaston Brunel found when he broke ground to expand the family’s cellar. He then travelled all the way to Italy to find a craftsman who could copy the ancient design using modern glassblowing techniques. This is their flagship Chateauneuf du Pape cuvee which is crafted from 60 to 90 year old Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes. All of the fruit is harvested aby hand and then carefully vinified in the cellar. The final step is to age the young wine in new oak barrels for 14 to 18 months before bottling. The result is a complex, intense red that will benefit from additional cellaring although it can also be enjoyed now alongside hearty red meat dishes like beef or venison.