The rare ultra premium wine from Chateau la Nerthe is the Cuvee des Cadettes. Many of these top selections in Châteauneuf-du-Pape are more recent creations, not so the Cadettes. It is said that it already existed at the end of the 19th century. The top cuvée is joined by the top vintage 2016, which the winery regards as being on a par with the legendary 1990s.
The Cadettes 2016 consists of the grape varieties Grenache Noir (52%), Syrah (38%) and 10% Mourvèdre, the vines are up to 80 years old. The selection takes place before fermentation, you taste the berries and then decide on the most suitable plots. All three grape varieties are then fermented together and then mature in small wooden barrels for twelve months. At Chateau la Nerthe you take your time. The red Chateauneufs only come onto the market a few years after bottling, which is why wine lovers can always look forward to wines from this estate that are already ready to drink.
The scent of the Chateau la Nerthe Cuvée des Cadettes 2016 contains black cherries, black currants, ripe blackberries, pepper and a little cedar wood (pencil), as well as the Mediterranean spice notes, the so-called garrigue. On the palate it is extremely powerful, rich and complex, but always with a certain freshness and great structure, which makes you want to take the next sip. The finale is extremely long-lasting, an unmistakable sign of a really great wine. A surprisingly elegant Chateauneuf-du-Pape that is ready to drink but should also have the potential to be aged for another 20 years.
Wine journalist Jeb Dunnuck awards 97+/100 points, praises the richness with an exceptional structure and calls it a "Rock Star Wine".
