Description
The 18th century Château de Vaudieu has been in the Bréchet family for over 50 years and today is run by Laurent Bréchet, the grandson of the original owner. The name ‘Vaudieu’ originates from ‘Vallée de Dieu’, or ‘Valley of God’ – in reference to the beauty of the area around Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Vaudieu has 70 hectares of vineyards in total, of which 60 hectares are planted to red varieties on prized sites located just east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, neighbouring the vineyards of the famed Château Rayas. Twenty-three separate plots have been identified, each of which is harvested at optimum maturity. The soils vary greatly, from sandy beds and calcareous hillsides to raised terraces of the famous ‘galets roulés’, offering huge potential for complexity in the wines. The fruit from the sandier soils lends aromatic elegance to the blend, while that from the ‘galets’ gives power and intensity.
This wine is dark ruby in colour. It has lively cherry notes on the nose, a touch of liquorice and hints of black pepper. On the palate, it is full-bodied and the ripe tannins gently support the cherry, cassis and herb character on the finish.