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Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf du Pape Arcane V Le Pape 2010  - First Bottle

Reviews

96 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -
Aged in barrels that were immersed in wine within a concrete vat, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Arcane V Le Pape was bottled in 2015. It's 100% Grenache and presents a rich, velvety mouthfeel, spicy, plummy fruit and a long, open-knit finish. A unique take on élevage, it should drink well for more than a decade.
95 Jeb Dunnuck -
A 100% Grenache sourced from numerous terroirs in the appellation, the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Arcane Le Pape offers a lovely bouquet of blackberries, saddle leather, garrigue, and forest floor. Medium to full-bodied, elegant and silky, it's still tight and backward on the palate, with good acidity, building tannin, and a great finish. It's going to hit prime time in 2-3 years and keep for a decade.

Technical Details

  • Blend100% Grenache
  • WinemakerXavier Vignon
  • CountryFrance
  • RegionSouthern Rhone
  • AppellationChateauneuf du Pape
  • Alcohol14.5%

Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf du Pape Arcane V Le Pape 2010

Rhone Blends  |  France
WA96, JD95

16% off retail!
Too late, we are SOLD OUT!
2010 CdP from a master! When we met with Xavier in the Spring, he was so excited to tell us about this wine. It is a new experimental technique where the wine is aged in barrels that were immersed in wine, within a concrete vat. Yes, I know, it is peculiar to say the least, but Xavier wanted some oak influence without the oxidation, and he has achieved it. Bottled in 2015, this extended elevage is not evident as this bursts with freshness and flavor. This is just starting to show what it can do with some bottle age, but additional patience will only provide more depth and complexity! What a groovy wine!

“...a singular, exotic beauty that I wish every reader could taste....Hats off to the team here for having the guts to pull something like this off!”

Pull WHAT off, you ask?? This astounding wine from Rhone super-consultant Xavier Vignon and hailing from the world-class 2010 vintage that was aged in a barrel, which was...well, we’ll let Jeb Dunnuck explain it (when he was still at the Wine Advocate). CRAZY COOL! A must-have for geeky Chateauneuf lovers, plus we have the best price in America!!

WA96+: “With regards to the 2010 Châteauneuf du Pape Arcane Le Pape, I had to have Xavier explain how he made it about three times before I understood. The wine is 100% Grenache, from 15 different parcels, that was put into a barrel, then the entire barrel was put into a concrete tank, which was then filled with wine. This is a take on the underwater aging process that some people experiment with, and the result is that’s there’s no exposure to oxygen whatsoever, and the wine was kept like this for five years, with no racking or topping (since there’s no evaporation, it never needed to be topped). Inky purple in color, with a sensational, youthful bouquet of crushed flowers, blueberries, blackberries, cured meats and spice, it hits the palate with incredible richness, a thick, unctuous mid-palate and ripe, yet present tannin. It’s a singular, exotic beauty that I wish every reader could taste! I’ve not a clue how it will age, given its crazy elevage, yet I suspect it will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two to three decades! Hats off to the team here for having the guts to pull something like this off!"

You’ll be one of the few people on Earth to own a few bottles...also, for what it's worth, the last batch of Xavier CdP sold out in hours (we got a little more, however, if you want to check it out). Xavier wines are amazingly luscious, sexy wines for the money, but man this one is on another level!

About the Producer

Oenologist consultant for twenty years in Chateauneuf du Pape and Southern Rhone Valley, Xavier Vignon is considered one of the most prominent consultants in the region. He assembles his own wines under his signature by adding a touch of modernity to the sincere expression of the Rhone terroirs. Each vintage Xavier is the fruit of meticulous work and a rigorous selection. The diversity of the Rhone terroirs, combined with the freedom offered by small structure, allows him, vintage after vintage, to select the wines that will allow Xavier's blends to combine concentration, minerality, and nobility of the fruit.