Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvée Spéciale Vieilles Clairettes 2023 Domaine Ferrando

Professionele reviews

James Suckling (98)

An incredibly aromatic, elegant and minerally white Chateuneuf-du-Pape. Great concentration, with every bit as much finesse on the full-bodied palate. The stony finish is so incredibly focused for a Southern French white. A pure clairette rosé that is the pink version of clairette. Matured two-thirds in Demi Muid oak casks and one-third in glass globes. Very limited production; only marketed in magnums.

Vinous (96)

Vivid jasmine, quince, ripe pear, honeysuckle and white peach introduce the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Spéciale Vieilles Clairettes. Clear-cut and precise, it is shaping up to be yet another stunning wine from the talented Isabel Ferrando and her team. The combination of high aromatic intensity and pronounced flavor concentration with outstanding freshness and vivacity is what makes this magnum-only cuvée so unique. I can’t wait to taste the finished wine.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

The smaller production 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Spéciale Vieilles Clairettes is all Clairette Rose (there might be a splash of Clairette) from the Les Serres lieu-dit that was brought up in smaller foudre. It offers a more exotic perfume of ripe pineapple, tropical fruits, honeyed flowers, crushed stone, and hints of toasted bread. With medium to full-bodied richness, it stays beautifully focused and elegant on the palate, with integrated acidity, a great mid-palate, and a fabulous finish. Haute couture at its finest, it's going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and evolve gracefully over the following decade. There are only 66 cases produced.