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2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Piedlong”
Famille Brunier
Historically, the Bruniers’ La Crau bottling has been their flagship wine, their grand cru of sorts. In 2011 they decided to isolate the fruit from a promising vineyard with galet-littered soil from a separate plateau known as Piedlong, which lies at the summit of the appellation. This bottling might be—in essence—their other grand cru. Piedlong is a vineyard inherited from Daniel and Frédéric Brunier’s grandmother over thirty-five years ago, but the fruit was always blended into other wines. For various reasons, some unexplainable, fruit from Piedlong ripens about two weeks later than on La Crau, which gives it an immediate advantage, as a slow ripening process allows grapes to gain in complexity. The resulting cuvée—made from 90% Grenache—is therefore a kind of tribute to the grape and its ability to express terroir with purity. While visiting the domaine recently, we tasted one of the first vintages, a 2012 that was refined and elegant, and a beautiful pairing with spit-roasted lamb. I got the sense that Daniel is truly proud of what his family is building with this cuvée, as if somehow the wine will be the future of the domaine and, in many ways, the legacy of his generation. Not surprisingly, the 2021 vintage drinks like something even more ethereal than you’d expect from a southern red: it’s mineral and structured but with delicate aromas of rose petal, currants, and réglisse. Piedlong is a new classic.
—Jane Augustine
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2021 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 90% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre |
Appellation: | Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Famille Brunier |
Winemaker: | Frédéric & Daniel Brunier |
Vineyard: | Grenache = 70 years old, Mourvèdre = 50 years old, 13 ha |
Soil: | Sand on red clay and galets roulés |
Aging: | Wine is aged in concrete tanks for 1 year, then aged a second year in 50 hl foudre, bottled unfined and unfiltered, aged in bottle for 3 months |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
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About The Producer
Famille Brunier
Vignobles Brunier embodies the ensemble of the holdings by the Brunier family. Brothers Frédéric and Daniel are the fourth generation of their family to farm the land of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They have worked hard to solidify the legacy left by their father, Henri, and their great-grandfather, Hippolyte. In 1986, the family complemented their portfolio, offering more affordable cuvées that showcase the diversity of terroirs within their holdings. The “Pigeoulet” and “Mégaphone” are fresh, rich in fruit and easy to appreciate young. The red Châteauneuf “Piedlong”, sourced from the Piélong lieu-dit, is a profoundly mineral wine that balances elegance and purity with the muscle that is found in this great appellation.
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Vintage Chart Mentality

Vintage Chart Mentality
Trust the great winemakers, trust the great vineyards. Your wine merchant might even be trustworthy. In the long run, that vintage strip may be the least important guide to quality on your bottle of wine.—Kermit Lynch