Mont Redon and I go back a long way, which is not saying much because Mont Redon goes back to the Roman Empire days for making wines. But back about me. My first position in the wine industry, after working in restaurants, was with Kobrand Corporation, which distributed Mont Redon in the United States. One of my first wine trips outside the U.S. was visiting Château Mont Redon. Not only was it an eye-opener to how first-class wines are made, but it also changed how I thought about grape growing and winemaking, old school vs. new school. This was not UC Davis winemaking 101.

As I alluded to, the ancient Romans were the first people to cultivate grapes at what we know of today as Château Mont Redon. However, the official vineyards of Château Mont Redon can be dated as far back as 1344, when it was known as Mourredon and belonged to the Pope, and was cultivated for the Pope's own wine. Taking its name from the round hill or mountain at the bottom of its vineyard site. The name Mont Redon, as you can guess, morphed from Mourredon over the centuries. At the time, the estate was only 6 acres of vines widely dispersed across the appellation.

In 1923, Henri Plantin purchased Mont-Redon. He worked on grouping together as many parcels as possible and had the foresight to plant on the wide open plateau, with its rocky soil and forest patches, never before cultivated, that looks over the Château. By 1972, the vineyard had increased to 180 acres. The estate has continued to be passed on to the next generation, and the efforts to increase the size of the vineyards have continued as well to its current 250-acre size today. This remarkable property is, in fact, a contiguous vineyard, which is very unusual in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where holdings are usually quite scattered. Today, Henri Plantin's descendants, the Abeille and Fabre families, continue to search out the best pieces of land with which to ensure the domain's growth.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is famous for its "galet's," or round, heat-absorbing pebbles that have been shaped and polished over thousands of years by the Rhône River and spread over time along the appellation's highest plains. In some portions of the Mont Redon's vineyard, this layer can exceed 2 meters in depth, forcing the vines' roots deep in search of the layer of red clay that lies beneath. Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre grown in these conditions produce wines that are generous, powerful, tannic, and concentrated.

There has been considerable investment at Mont-Redon over the past twenty years. The entire winery has been completely renewed and is now naturally climate-controlled, utilizing the water that lies deep below the clay plateau. From this water, cool air spills down into the winery, cooling every level so that the whole winery retains a very cool temperature with natural humidity. Rows of oak barriques have replaced the old large foudres of yesteryear when I visited the property, and large temperature-controlled stainless steel vats now line the walls, resulting in wines of freshness and finesse in both red and white wines. More recently, optical sorting machines at harvest time have helped to remove any unripe or shriveled grapes and any vegetation, resulting in remarkable precision for every single wine.

In addition to the 250 acres of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 80 acres in Lirac, Château Mont-Redon owns 62 acres of vines in the Côtes du Rhône appellation. Around the towns of Orange and Roquemaure, their Côtes du Rhône vines are planted on stony, limestone-clay plains. The generous sun encourages the grapes to reveal all their best qualities on these terroirs. They also purchase premium wines from the top growers in the region to make wines under the label "Réserve Mont-Redon."

In recent years, the developments have continued at a great pace, with Pierre Fabre being installed as winemaker from 2008, and in 2017, Pierre took over management of the estate from his father and uncle. In 2017, he produced the first Gigondas from purchased fruit, and in 2019, the purchase of more vineyards were made in the southern Rhône. This remarkable estate will continue to develop apace as the potential of its great terroir is realized under the guardianship of Pierre Fabre.

The 2021 vintage in Southern Rhone

"In short, 2021 exudes grace and freshness, complemented by widespread tannin quality, good structure and sufficient but not excessive concentration. When talking to winemakers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, I often sense that some hold a more reserved opinion of wines produced from less opulent years compared to more powerful and flamboyant vintages such as 2019. But au contraire: the 2021 reds have broad appeal. The distinctive feature of 2021 is the abundance of bright acidity, neatly complementing flavor concentration, which gives the wines a delightful sense of elegance and freshness. The generally lower alcohol levels further contribute to their refined character." Vinous Media, June 2023

Grapes are harvested by hand in mid September and transferred to the winery where they are sorted and destemmed. Maceration and fermentation occurs at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks over a period of three weeks followed by ageing for 6-9 months in large vats.

Early approachable with intense fresh fruit character. The color has a deep and bright garnet hue. The nose is intense and characterized by red fruits and spices notes. The mouth is balanced and displays the nose's aromas with a fine tannins structure. Cellaring potential is 4 to 5 years, even if it can be enjoyed right after bottling.

80% Grenache 20% Syrah

Ripe and generous with complex red and black fruit character plus a slew of spice, licorice and old balsamic vinegar aromas. This is an excellent Cotes-du-Rhone that's not a jot too rich. The tannins and bitter chocolate character build impressively at the long finish. James Suckling 93 pts

Mont Redon Cotes du Rhone Reserve 2021

In tasting this wine, I gathered up my Rhone Specialists, Tim, Adam, and my adjective diva, Rachael. The wine poured an inky garnet color with a sheen on it. Aromas of brooding dark berry fruit and hints of spice. On the palate, we found red bramble fruit, garrigue spice, bitter chocolate, and raspberry coulis. Fine integrated tannins with great acidity and a long bitter cherry finish. A great Grenache based Cotes du Rhone from a superstar Châteauneuf-du-Pape house. This is the type of wine that you dream about when eating a big juicy burger that drips down your face and makes a mess of your shirt.

Regular Price: $18.99

*Sale Price is on 6 or more bottles

Wine is packed in a 12-bottle case

*Wine pricing for these wine promotions are held for two weeks after the email offer.

We can hold wines in unpaid reserves for two weeks to allow you time to pick up your wine. If it takes you longer than that to pick up your wines, give us a call, and we can process your wine and move it to paid reserves.

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Cheers!

—John Hannum, Fine & Rare Wine Specialist

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