Domaine Paul Autard > Rhone

Domaine Paul Autard > Rhone > France

CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE

Jean-Paul Autard carries on the tradition established by Paul Autard when he founded the domaine in the village of Courthezon in the 1970's.

Autard’s vineyard practice aims to achieve a perfect balance between the soil and the vine. No pesticides, or chemical anti-rot products or fertilizers are used. He is guided by the method known as lutte raisonnee. The health of the vineyard is ensured by meticulous work by hand, such as the removal in May and June of unessential shoots and leaves that would block the proper aeration of the vines. By not allowing moisture to remain on the grapes and leaves, the possibility of problems such as rot and mildew is eliminated.

Autard has 26 hectares of vines, of which 12 are in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and 14 in Cotes-du-Rhone (located at the border of the Chateauneuf appellation in Courthezon.) The aging cellar is a massive, vaulted cave cut into sandstone rock, housing the domaine’s barriques. The Autards feel privileged to have inherited a domaine in which the plantations of different cepages are perfectly adapted to the soil types -- ranging from galets roulets, pebble and clay, and sandy-clay -- in their various parcels. They aim to get the most out of each variety by vinifying separately and then blending judiciously. The grapes are destalked and fermentation takes place in stainless steel cuves. After the malolactic fermentation, the wines are transferred to barriques for aging, about one third of which are new. The Autards have attained international acclaim for their high quality wines and were selected for inclusion by Eric Mancio, sommelier at Restaurant Guy Savoy in Paris, in his book on the finest domaines of the Rhone valley.

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Cotes du Rhone Rouge

80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre

Jean-Paul Autard characterizes the 2009 vintage as “the year of the sun.” The 2008-2009 winter was wet and the growing season began with more rain and cooler temperatures than usual. As a result, water reserves in the soil were replenished and the fruit set was moderate in size. April and May saw normal temperatures and flowering proceeded correctly. Autard’s vineyards were in a very healthy state through the harvest time, due to consistent sun and an ever-present Mistral wind. The weather got hotter and drier as the summer progressed: the thermometer exceeded 100 degrees on 24 days and there was no meaningful rain until mid September. The most intense heat came (luckily) after veraison, which caused the dehydration of the grapes and a concentration of the sugars and tannins. Ripening, however, was not blocked. These factors explain the 2009 Cote du Rhone’s stunningly dark color, concentration, intense aromas and flavors -- as well as the severely reduced overall yields.

Harvest at Domaine Paul Autard began on September 3-14th under sunny skies for the Cotes du Rhone. Harvesting paused during the much needed mid-September rain, and began again on September 21-23, when the last grapes for Autard’s Chateauneuf–du–Papes were picked. For comparative purposes, the 2009 harvest dates are approximately the same as in 2005 and 2007, but the crop size was significantly smaller in 2009.

The grapes were all hand-picked and then transported to the winery in small boxes so as not to damage the fruit. They were then de-stemmed and lightly crushed to begin the fermentation process by releasing juice. The maceration and fermentation took place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks in Autard’s new winery. The tanks are equipped with a pneumatic mechanism to carry out pigeage (or punching down of the cap of solids) to ensure optimal and gentle extraction of color and flavor without any harsh elements. In addition, two pumping over operations (remontages) were carried out daily for 10 days, to enhance the extraction and to oxygenate the wine to attain a plush texture. Each of the varieties was vinified separately and assembled in March. The 2009 Cotes du Rhone was aged in tank until bottling in late July 2010.

Jean-Paul Autard’s vineyard practice aims to achieve a perfect balance between the soil and the vine. No pesticides, or chemical anti-rot products or fertilizers are used. He is guided by the method known as lutte raisonnée. The health of the vineyard is ensured by meticulous work by hand, such as the removal in May and June of unessential shoots and leaves that would block the proper aeration of the vines. By not allowing humidity to remain on the grapes and leaves, the possibility of problems such as rot and mildew is eliminated. Since the vines have an average age of over 50 years, their roots systems provide resistance to drought and nourishment for the grapes. Moreover, the low yields make for naturally healthy fruit.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

The Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is 1/3 each Grenache, Clairette and Roussanne. 50% is fermented in new oak barrels. There is lots of fat fruit on the palate, with very round, lovely tree-fruit flavors; it finishes with a pleasant bitter-almond note, typical for these wines. Peaches , pears and almonds. A very interesting wine in which the oak is used to good effect.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape

The Chateauneuf du Pape is a concentrated and supple, balanced wine. A blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Counoise, it is brimming with dark berry fruit and notes of black pepper and dark chocolate. The wine offers a terrific bouquet and flavors of spices and cherry and berry jam. The sweet tannins and fat mid-palate culminate in a dense and powerful finish.

Chateauneuf-du-Pape - La Cote Ronde

One of Autard’s top wines, the Chateauneuf du Pape La Cote Ronde, comes from a parcel of vines that are between 75 and 90 years old, planted in a stony soil. The grape mix is 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah. The Cote Ronde parcel is vinified separately and is aged in 100% new oak barrels. It is an intensely concentrated, lush-textured wine with vivid dark fruit, spice, chocolate and oak flavors. Autard only makes this cuvee in top years. Parker has consistently given the Autard’s Cote Ronde 90+ scores since its inception.

Cuvee Juline

The 2006 vintage marks the debut release of Autard’s highly personal and original Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Juline. Named for his two children, the wine is a blend of 50% Syrah from 55 year old vines on a parcel with sandy soil and 50% Grenache from 80 year old vines from a parcel with "galets roules" (the famed round stones) and sand. The Cuvee Juline is made through fermentation, vinification and maturation entirely in new, medium toast, Seguin-Moreau barrels (each made from oak of diverse origins) with one side removed. The fruit is placed directly in the casks and given a 30 day maceration period in these barrels with daily pigeage (pushing down of the solids into the juice) by hand. The cepages are vinified separately. At the end of the maceration period, the wine is transferred to a tank, the solids are pressed, and the juice then returned to the barrels within two days. At this point, the barrel maker comes to the winery to replace the sides of the barrels, and the wine then begins its 16 month maturation period in these same barrels. Four days before bottling, the Grenache and Syrah are assembled in a tank, fined, and bottled without filtration. Autard produced 2000 bottles of Cuvee Juline in 2006. Tasting a barrel sample about half-way in the course of elevage, Parker commented in October 2007: “With full body, huge glycerin, great richness and depth, this is a stunner and certainly looks to be one of the top dozen or so wines of the 2006 vintage. (92-94).