Thursday, August 28, 2025 red wine review is an excellent Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the Southern Rhône Valley that arrived at the LCBO earlier this month in the LCBO VINTAGES New Release Collection.
It is produced by Rémy Ferbras at Les Grandes Serres. Rémy Ferbras is anchored in the Southern Rhône Valley, in the heart of a prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard. The brand is owned by Maison Grandes Serres and pays tribute to the winery's first cellar master - Rémy Ferbras - who is the emblematic character of the house. Rémy was a fervent defender of the Rhône Valley terroir and its grape varieties, and was able to express the full potential of the grapes and terroir from this renowned wine region. Rémy Ferbras contributed with his work and tenacity to expand the house and his notoriety, while his signature is synonymous with rigorous and precise selection, vinification, and ageing. The wines of Rémy Ferbras are consistently rich, elegant, complex, and flavourful.
This red wine is crafted with 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre that was grown in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in a famous vineyard dominated by its papal ruin and exceptional terroir. A rising vineyard teeming with creativity, the soils in this vineyard are mainly sandy and limestone, and covered with rolled pebbles. After manually harvesting the grapes with strict sorting, each varietal was vinified separately using traditional methods. The grapes underwent alcoholic fermentation at a controlled temperature between 26–28°C, with 2–3 weeks of maceration. The wine was partially aged in French oak barrels for up to 18 months.
The 2021 growing season in the Southern Rhône was a very challenging vintage where frosts reduced yields; Châteauneuf, however, was spared the worst of the frosts. There were also unpredictable temperatures throughout the season, and random thunderstorms in July, but thankfully without any heat spikes. Furthermore, there were untimely rains in mid-September, which affected early-budding grapes such as Syrah. While the quality of Grenache was mixed, it was mostly very good with thin skins, resulting in fresher, lower-alcohol wines with elegant tannins. Let's see how this 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is tasting tonight...
This blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre has a medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that seems a bit shy, offering pleasing ripe red plum, red berry, and spice aromas nuanced with garrigue, savoury earth, and stony mineral notes. The dry, medium-full bodied is youthfully structured with very good concentration and lovely ripe red berry, spice, cassis, black cherry, garrigue, savoury earthy, stony mineral, and gentle smoky oak flavours. It has crisp and lively acidity, while the mouth coating, well-structured tannins have some youthful grip. Red berry, garrigue, and red plum notes give way to earthy and stony minerals on the long, crisp finish. Enjoyable now, but will reward with a few years in the cellar, and should be enjoyable into the mid-2030s. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts
Other fine wines by Remy Ferbras can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.
It is produced by Rémy Ferbras at Les Grandes Serres. Rémy Ferbras is anchored in the Southern Rhône Valley, in the heart of a prestigious Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard. The brand is owned by Maison Grandes Serres and pays tribute to the winery's first cellar master - Rémy Ferbras - who is the emblematic character of the house. Rémy was a fervent defender of the Rhône Valley terroir and its grape varieties, and was able to express the full potential of the grapes and terroir from this renowned wine region. Rémy Ferbras contributed with his work and tenacity to expand the house and his notoriety, while his signature is synonymous with rigorous and precise selection, vinification, and ageing. The wines of Rémy Ferbras are consistently rich, elegant, complex, and flavourful.
This red wine is crafted with 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre that was grown in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in a famous vineyard dominated by its papal ruin and exceptional terroir. A rising vineyard teeming with creativity, the soils in this vineyard are mainly sandy and limestone, and covered with rolled pebbles. After manually harvesting the grapes with strict sorting, each varietal was vinified separately using traditional methods. The grapes underwent alcoholic fermentation at a controlled temperature between 26–28°C, with 2–3 weeks of maceration. The wine was partially aged in French oak barrels for up to 18 months.
The 2021 growing season in the Southern Rhône was a very challenging vintage where frosts reduced yields; Châteauneuf, however, was spared the worst of the frosts. There were also unpredictable temperatures throughout the season, and random thunderstorms in July, but thankfully without any heat spikes. Furthermore, there were untimely rains in mid-September, which affected early-budding grapes such as Syrah. While the quality of Grenache was mixed, it was mostly very good with thin skins, resulting in fresher, lower-alcohol wines with elegant tannins. Let's see how this 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is tasting tonight...
Tasting Note:
RÉMY FERBRAS CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2021 - AP, Rhône, France (#15184) (XD) - $50.95This blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre has a medium+ to medium-high intensity nose that seems a bit shy, offering pleasing ripe red plum, red berry, and spice aromas nuanced with garrigue, savoury earth, and stony mineral notes. The dry, medium-full bodied is youthfully structured with very good concentration and lovely ripe red berry, spice, cassis, black cherry, garrigue, savoury earthy, stony mineral, and gentle smoky oak flavours. It has crisp and lively acidity, while the mouth coating, well-structured tannins have some youthful grip. Red berry, garrigue, and red plum notes give way to earthy and stony minerals on the long, crisp finish. Enjoyable now, but will reward with a few years in the cellar, and should be enjoyable into the mid-2030s. Highly recommended buy! Score: 93 pts
Other fine wines by Remy Ferbras can be ordered through their Agent - DBINO David Beauroy Selections.
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