L'Abbe Dine Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2020

Nathalie Reynaud is a name in the winemaking sphere you’re going to want to pay attention to. After training for years under the iconic Southern Rhône winemaker, Philippe Cambie whose wines have been awarded 100 points time after time – Nathalie is making waves with her 93+ point 2020 old vine grenache, and for GREAT reason!

This wine is a pure, heartfelt legacy in a bottle. Grown on 120-year-old vines in the most esteemed corner of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, the lieu dit of Les Bédines, this fruit is pristine not only in location, but also in guiding the best parts of it into the bottle. Nathalie’s family has owned this land for more than 140 years, but she was the first from her family to step into the winemaking territory after partnering with Philippe Cambie as her mentor. He shepherded the estate’s wine, coaching Nathalie along the way, from the first vintage in 2012 until his passing in 2021. This was the last bottle he worked on from start to finish with Nathalie, though she’s continued his craft and legacy in a big way, developing classic, complex, and noteworthy CdP that delight with every sip.

This elegant wine is organically grown, handmade, stylish, flavor-packed, and simply impeccable, impressive juice that you need to try to believe. Seriously. Made up of 90% grenache, 8% syrah, and 2% mourvedre, this blend is classic and enchanting, reverberating with bright red fruits and aromas of florals, spice, and ripe fruits – sans any heaviness or heat. With a soft creme de cassis theme, notes of aromatic lavender and hibiscus are balanced with a peppery garrigue in a lovely, juxtaposed way. If you’re a fan of Rhône wines, this is a major one you don’t want to miss and should be in your regular line-up. And, as Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate remarks, “This estate should be on the radar of serious Southern Rhône enthusiasts, as the quality has been superb for the past few vintages.” She’s only getting better, folks, but you might as well jump on this one for the unbelievable price of under $30 a bottle to try a wildly beautiful, layered, and storied Châteauneuf-du-Pape!