By Domaine Font de Michelle
Cuvee Etienne Gonnet

Wine Details
Grape Composition: Grenache 70% Syrah 15%, Mourvedre 15%
History: This was the first homage cuvee produced in Chateauneuf du Pape in 1986, released in 1988.
Vinification: Traditional in wood vat, 50% to 100% stalk removed, 30 days fermentation and maceration, natural yeast
Exposition: The plateau "La Crau," Old Syrah and Mourvedre vines on the south east side of the appellation.
Soil Composition: Round pebbles on the surface, red clay soil.
Vine Age: 90 to 120 years old.
Density: 3000 vines per HA
Harvest type: Hand Picked (A.O.C Obligation)
Malolactic - yes/no: yes
Aging: wooden vats and demi-muid
Number of bottles produced: 15,000 to 20,000
Residual sugar: Less than 2 grams per litre
Alcohol percentage: 14.50%
Tasting notes: The bouquet is that of ripe fruits, morello cherries, blackcurrants, blackberries, liquorice, bay leaves, spice and hints of dark chocolate. A fine wine with a great potential for aging.
Food pairing: Slow roasted lamb, duck or game. Hard, aged cheeses such as comte or beaufort.
[Information provided by Classic Wines]
[Information is not vintage specific]

DOMAINE FONT DE MICHELLE Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Etienne Gonnet 2010
Score: 94
Release Price: $75
Country: France
Region: Southern Rhone
Issue: Nov 30, 2013
Offers warm linzer torte, fresh blackberry and dark plum notes mixed together, lined with a mouthwatering apple wood accent. A touch tight through the finish, revealing black tea, anise and sandalwood hints in the background, balanced by fresh, well-embedded acidity. Should age well. Best from 2015 through 2030. -JM

2010 Domaine Font de Michelle Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Etienne Gonnet
Rating: 94
Producer: Domaine Font de Michelle
Location: Rhone, Southern Rhone, Chateauneuf du Pape
Color: Red
Tasting Date: 9/30/2012
Even better and a blend 65% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 15% Mourvedre that is a selection of old vines, the 2010 Cuvee Etienne Gonnet is more ripe and powerful than the traditional cuvee, yet still shows fantastic poise, elegance, and finesse. Possessing aromas of plum, meat juice, licorice, pepper, and hints of violets, it hits the palate with a voluptuous, rounded texture, excellent freshness, and full-bodied richness. It too will have 10-15 years of prime drinking.

2010 Font de Michelle Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Etienne Gonnet
A Proprietary Blend Dry Red Table wine from France, Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone, Rhone, France
Review by Robert M. Parker, Jr.
Wine Advocate # 203 (Oct 2012)
Rating: 93
Drink 2012 - 2027
Another outstanding effort is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Etienne Gonnet, which displays loads of black currants, licorice, olives, and roasted herbs. Deep, full-bodied flavors, sweet tannin and an attractively sumptuous mouthfeel and a long finish. It should drink beautifully young (as it already is) and evolve for 12-15+ years. This is a strong showing from the children of the Gonnet brothers. They have turned out deliciously fragrant, sexy, plump 2010s that will not be among the longest lasting of wines from Chateauneuf du Pape, but they have exceptional purity, impressive balance, and are all slightly different in style.