2021 Domaine de Panisse Le Mas Chateauneuf du Pape 750 ml

Domaine de Panisse is a great example of the heights that can be achieved in Châteauneuf-du-Pape with extremely old vines, tip-top winemakers, and highly dedicated ownership.

Once owned by the Baron of Montfaucon and Dominique de Panisse—Chief Steward of Louis XII—this small domaine in Courthézon was purchased by a husband and wife, Jean-Marie and Christine Olivier, in 1992. They owned it until 2020, when it was purchased by Domaine le Clos du Caillou, a legendary Rhône producer.

Two siblings, Marilou and Axel Vacheron, are making the wines now, and 2021 was the first year they were fully in charge of these 60-100+ year old vines in the Janasse lieu-dit, which is adjacent to Château de Beaucastel in the extreme northeast of the appellation. They're certainly doing something right, with this vintage scoring 95 in Decanter, with the reviewer calling it “quite a Burgundian style of Châteauneuf.”

Like Beaucastel, Marilou and Axel are farming Domaine de Panisse organically and biodynamically. They call this cuvée “Le Mas,” which simply means “The Farm,” or “The House,” an old Provençal word for a working farm.

The core of this wine is some truly old Grenache planted in 1921, before the appellation even existed, and those vines still pump out small quantities of intensely-flavored grapes. Providence Wine Director David Osenbach wanted Wine Access members to experience this bottle because it’s a Rhône insiders’ secret. Its old-vine intensity pairs perfectly with Providence’s A5 Wagyu beef with eggplant, watercress, and jus de boeuf, but this wine will be magical with whatever delight you decide to serve it alongside. What an exemplary Châteauneuf—you can almost taste those hot quartz stones in the glass!