Having never tried anything from Chateau Fortia, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but it was a remarkably similar wine to “Le Vins Des Amis”. For those who are unfamiliar, Fortia is a very old estate in Chateauneuf du Pape and what makes the “Reserve” so unique (and why I specifically chose to taste it alongside the “Le Vin des Amis”) is that it’s predominately Syrah (approx. 85%!) with the balance being Mourvedre. Deep purple color with an opaque core; high viscosity. Medium+ intensity with purple flowers, a mix of blue and red fruits, bacon fat, and pepper salami. On the palate, this was a slightly broader shouldered wine compared to the wine from the North. The blue and red fruits had more power and the black pepper was more pronounced. Medium+ tannin. Medium acid. The finish is a bit hot but when considering the 15.5% abv it’s remarkably under control. Long finish. A really delicious, if somewhat unusual CdP that I would be happy to drink again.
Having never tried anything from Chateau Fortia, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect but it was a remarkably similar wine to “Le Vins Des Amis”. For those who are unfamiliar, Fortia is a very old estate in Chateauneuf du Pape and what makes the “Reserve” so unique (and why I specifically chose to taste it alongside the “Le Vin des Amis”) is that it’s predominately Syrah (approx. 85%!) with the balance being Mourvedre. Deep purple color with an opaque core; high viscosity. Medium+ intensity with purple flowers, a mix of blue and red fruits, bacon fat, and pepper salami. On the palate, this was a slightly broader shouldered wine compared to the wine from the North. The blue and red fruits had more power and the black pepper was more pronounced. Medium+ tannin. Medium acid. The finish is a bit hot but when considering the 15.5% abv it’s remarkably under control. Long finish. A really delicious, if somewhat unusual CdP that I would be happy to drink again.
Aug 10th, 2021
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France
