Chimere
Chimère is not a domaine. There is no château, no vineyard purchase, no cellar of its own, just three parties who already make wine and decided to make one together. Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non in California, the consulting oenologist Philippe Cambie, and the Maurel brothers of Clos Saint Jean in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Between them they had Châteauneuf-grown grapes and a working winery from day one, which is the practical reason the project got off the ground at all. That is unusual here, where wine projects normally begin with buying land. The output is a single red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, made in small quantities. No second label, no white, no négociant range.
Everything else these three produce goes out under their own names, in the Rhône and in California, as separate businesses.
Three names, one bottle
Chimere began as a partnership rather than a real estate purchase, which is unusual for Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where wine projects typically start with the acquisition of land.
Manfred Krankl built his reputation with Sine Qua Non in California; this producer's wines are released in extremely limited quantities and often sell out based on allocation. Philippe Cambie earned a reputation as a consulting oenologist in the southern Rhône. Furthermore, the Maurel brothers run Clos Saint Jean, one of the most well-known wineries in this appellation.
Thanks to the combined efforts of these three individuals, this project came together.
Chimere is a single-wine brand. The bottled wine is Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a red wine from this southern Rhône appellation, produced in small quantities.
There is no second label, no white wine, and no négociant portfolio. The wines produced elsewhere by the people who run Chimere (all of whom make wine elsewhere) are released under their own vineyard and brand names.
What Chimere actually makes
Chimere is the name of a wine. This wine is bottled under the name Châteauneuf-du-Pape and is a red wine produced in small quantities in the southern Rhône region of the same name.
Frequently asked questions
Who is behind Chimere?
Manfred Krankl of Sine Qua Non in California, the oenologist Philippe Cambie, and the Maurel brothers of Clos Saint Jean in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Is Chimere an estate with its own château?
No. It is a collaboration between existing producers rather than a standalone domaine, and the wine is made in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
Are there other French wines called Chimère?
Yes, and they are unrelated. Mas des Chimères is a domaine in the Terrasses du Larzac in the Languedoc, and Chimères is also used as a cuvée name by Château Saint-Roch in Côtes du Roussillon Villages.
