The early-bottled 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Parvis exhibits plenty of strawberry and black cherry fruit intermixed with underbrush, lavender and licorice. Fruit-driven and more front end-loaded than the 2010, it possesses outstanding purity, texture and concentration.
(Not yet released)
The quality of Ferraton’s wines has been increasing with nearly every new vintage thanks to the efforts of Michel Chapoutier and his number one assistant, P.H. Morel, who has the responsibilities for these wines. I have included a few Southern Rhones that were not reviewed in Issue #203. Some of the 2011 white wines are in bottle, but the more serious cuvees are still in barrel. Ferraton produced four lieu-dit offerings in 2011, which I tasted with Michel Chapoutier and Pierre-Henri Morel.
Importer: A French Paradox, Peoria, IL; tel. (309) 682-8994