Chapelle St. Theodoric 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape le Grand Pin

Chapelle Saint-Theodoric is a joint venture between the Grangeon family of Domaine de Cristia and  importer and CDP lover Peter Weygandt. Le Grand Pin is all old-vine Grenache from a parcel in the Pignan vineyard on sandy soils. Whole-cluster fermentation in concrete vat with wild yeasts, minimal extraction, aged in 4 to 10 year-old large casks. The 2009 vintage in Châteauneuf can be a fraught one. Portlike with lashings of oak and a soupçon of garrigue, right? Well, in the case of Chapelle St. Theodiric's Le Grand Pin it's ripe for sure, not stewed and not a monument to cooperage. Garrigue? Absolutely, with some leather, and warmth on the nose and palate. But there’s an intriguing soil component here—the edges and grain haven’t been buffed out in the modern fashion. The palate is ripe with dark plummy fruits, a dark salty sapidity, and tends more toward sauvage than overtly polished.  It’s a strapping wine that’s full of that Midi sun, but there’s character here and if you prefer you Châteauneuf with soil and soul rather than confiture and consultants, there’s a lot to like here. Caveat lector, this was given a quick decant, and served at cellar temperature. Delicious with roasted duck leg, fingerling potatoes persillé, and sautéed spinach from the Greenmarket, though I might opt for a daube or lamb shanks next time. If you like more earthy and savory character to your CDP, this is definitely well worth a look. John McIlwain