Visit Chateauneuf and TN's 2007-2008 Clos Saint Jean

[HarryKaris]

I am in Chateauneuf now for about 2 weeks.....have to finalize things and do some revisits. Most of the visits (more than 25) are planned for next week.
Tomorrow morning I will have an interesting tasting together with Andreas Larsson - world best sommelier in 2007 - at the Federation in Chateuaneuf.
Very interesting selection of old Chateauneuf wines starting with the 80s,70s till the 50s.

Clos Saint Jean is building a huge new cellar close to the town centre. But according to Vincent Maurel its just a part of the total cellar and storage facilities. The concrete vinification tanks are separated from a new barrel room where the Syrah and Mourvedre ages in small, partly new, barrels.
There's also one demi-muid filled with their - new exclusively american market - cuvee Sanctus Sancturum - 100% Grenache from vines planted in 1905 at les Combes (not la Crau) - upbringing will tale 18 months....no destemming as for all their reds...big wooow wine, only produced in special vintages.

Their 2007 selection,as reported several times before, are all awesome in their own class.
The regular cuvee is more lush than ever. The Vieille Vignes, for the US market is made from a higher content of old vines....thats all...upbringing is the same and non filtre is applicable to ALL their red wines.
Both Combe des Fous and Deus ex Machina will be probably the best wines they ever made at the domain. Extremely rich and profound with both an own identity. The Mourvedre in the Deus 2007 is sublime and provides the wine grip and structure without adding unwanted rustic elements.

While most of the producers in CdP had a production in 2008 an average 30% less, Clos Saint Jean produced the same quantity as 2007!
All wines have a very good concentration but lacking the richness of the 2007. I think the wines in quality will be close to the 2004 and 2006. The only problem is the Mourvedre that showed overall poor in 2008. Although this could mean that no 2008 Deus will be made they wait with the final decision till the end of the aging - according to Pascal Maurel the Mourvedre can gain some quality during time........personally I think they will not make a 2008 Deus....
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CdP-Harry 3rd attempt....

[JimHow]

Great to see you aboard, Harry, I'll be relying on you heavily as the 2007s hit the shelves in the months ahead.

[ChrisW]

Harry,

I see that you're still hard at work!

What I do not understand is that one of today's top domaines from CdP produces cuvées specially and exclusively for the US market. You see many lesser wine growers making special wines on request of importers, but you never see the best wine growers do such a thing. Contrary to the lesser growers, I do not think that Clos St Jean has problems selling its entire wine production. Furtermore, the timing seems very weird given the state of the US economy. Stylistically there also cannot be a reason to make a special US wine: the regular wines of Clos st Jean are already some on the biggest wines in CdP. Why do they do this?

regards,

Chris

[HarryKaris]

Chris,
First you have to know that CSJ in the beginning had to deal with an enormous grey market in the USA. They wanted more control and they created a separate VV for the USA market. This new SS is made very much in an American style - the only Grenache that sees oak from a 600L demi-muid.
This is just a commercial stunt for the US market - maybe a bit pushed by the importer. Indeed they do not have any problems with selling....the whole stock is already (and even more!!) pre-sold........CSJ has a big market in he US.

Harry