This is the bottle you open when dinner has actual flavour and you want a red that keeps up. It's the brown-label, oak-aged Chemin des Papes Côtes du Rhône, so think ripe dark fruit, a dusting of pepper and herbs, and that warm vanilla-spice glow oak leaves behind. Big-hearted but smooth, none of that grippy, dry-your-mouth-out thing. Pour it next to a plate of nyama choma and you'll get why southern France keeps doing this blend.
Nose first: ripe plum and blackcurrant, a little crushed black pepper, and that scrubby wild-herb thing the French call garrigue (basically sun-baked rosemary and thyme). The oak ageing adds a soft hint of vanilla and sweet spice on top. On the palate it's full and savoury, dark berry fruit up front, supple tannins that smooth everything out, and a warm 14% finish that lingers without turning harsh. Dry, but generous with it.
The details
Pairs well with
Where it's from
Côtes du Rhône is the big, sunny vineyard sprawl in the south of France, the same neighbourhood as famous Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The name is a nod to that papal history, the old road of the popes who set up court in nearby Avignon centuries ago. The blend is classic southern Rhône: Grenache for the ripe fruit and warmth, Syrah for the pepper and dark colour, Mourvèdre for backbone. This particular cuvée gets time in oak barrels, which is where the extra smoothness and spice come from.
Good to know
- What is the price of Chemin des Papes Cote du Rhone brown label (Élevé en Fûts de Chêne) 75cl?
Chemin des Papes Cote du Rhone brown label (Élevé en Fûts de Chêne) 75cl is KSh 3,379 at Oaks & Corks. Order online for fast delivery across Nairobi, usually within the hour, or next day countrywide.
- What does Chemin des Papes Côtes du Rhône (Élevé en Fûts de Chêne) 75cl taste like?
Full and savoury. Ripe dark plum and blackcurrant, black pepper, wild herbs, and a touch of vanilla and oak spice. Smooth tannins and a warm, dry finish.
- What is the ABV?
14%, so it sits on the fuller, warmer side for a red. Definitely a with-food wine.
- What does 'Élevé en Fûts de Chêne' mean?
It's French for 'aged in oak barrels'. That barrel time is what gives this version its softer texture and gentle vanilla-spice note.
- Is it dry or sweet?
Dry. The fruit is ripe and generous, so it reads rich, but there's no sweetness to it.
- How should I serve it?
Lightly cool, 16 to 18°C, in a big wine glass. Open it 15 minutes before dinner. No ice, no mixers, drink it straight with food.
- What's the grape blend?
Classic southern Rhône: Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Grenache brings the fruit, Syrah the pepper and colour, Mourvèdre the structure.
Chemin des Papes Cote du Rhone brown label (Élevé en Fûts de Chêne) 75cl
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Chemin des Papes Cote du Rhone brown label (Élevé en Fûts de Chêne) 75cl price in Kenya
Buy Chemin des Papes Cote du Rhone brown label (Élevé en Fûts de Chêne) 75cl online in Nairobi, Kenya for KSh 3,379. Order now for fast delivery across Nairobi — usually within 30 minutes — or next-day delivery countrywide.