The 2020 Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneauf du Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir is a white wine hailing from the renowned Chateauneuf du Pape appellation in the Southern Rhone region of France. This proprietary blend, predominantly featuring Roussanne with 40% Grenache Blanc, offers a complex and layered profile, reflective of the meticulous craftsmanship of Chateau de la Nerthe.
This vintage has garnered significant praise from several professional reviewers. Decanter awarded it an impressive 98 points, describing it as "rounded, seductive, but not overly fat," with a nose of "violets, quince, yellow plums, and honeysuckle." The review highlights the wine's "great sense of harmony and balance," likening its finesse to that of Burgundian wines. Decanter also notes its organic cultivation on sandy soils and its fermentation and aging process in demi-muid and stainless steel, with a portion aged in new barriques.
Jeb Dunnuck also provided a stellar review, scoring it 96 points. He emphasized the wine's "subtle, reserved bouquet of ripe peach, pineapple, white flowers, and honeyed toast." Dunnuck praised its "incredibly layered, elegant mouthfeel" and "great mid-palate," predicting that it will evolve beautifully over the next decade. He notes that the wine's slightly deeper hue and rich profile distinguish it from the base cuvée, suggesting that it needs another year in the bottle to reach its full potential.
Vinous' Nicolas Greinacher offered a more restrained score of 92 points but still appreciated the wine's virtues. He noted its "lively aromas of acacia, pineapple, melon, ginger, and fennel," and described it as "full-bodied and oily-textured," suggesting that it will develop more nuanced characteristics with additional aging.
James Suckling awarded the wine 93 points, highlighting its "herbal complexity" and "oily richness on the powerful palate." He praised its "good freshness" and the balance that makes it "bright and fairly light on its feet," also noting its organic origins.
In summary, the 2020 Chateau La Nerthe Chateauneauf du Pape Blanc Clos de Beauvenir is a well-regarded wine with a strong potential for aging, featuring a rich, layered profile with notes of tropical fruits, flowers, and subtle oak. It is a testament to the quality and craftsmanship of Chateau de la Nerthe.