2020 Guigal Château de Nalys Saintes Pierres de Nalys Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge

E. Guigal has been releasing Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines since the French estate was founded in 1946. The culmination of decades of searching and planning, Guigal finally acquired his own estate in the famous appellation, Château de Nalys, in 2016. The 2017 white wines are the first wines that the new team has been able to make from start to finish, while the 2016 red wines are

The first releases from Château de Nalys debuted in late 2018. “We have been looking for a quality estate in Châteauneuf-du-Pape for about 20 years,” says Philippe Guigal, the family business's third-generation winemaker. With our many years of Châteauneuf-du-Pape experience from 1942 onwards, we knew what we wanted, but more importantly, we knew what we did not want. Therefore, Château de Nalys is the combination of an excellent terroir combined with a deep and strong history, and one with astonishing potential and is without a doubt one of the most exciting terroirs for Châteauneuf.

The Nalys estate is mentioned in various documents dating back more than 400 years and takes its name from its original occupant, Jacques Nalis. Guigal is only the fourth owner. “We remain very humble and have a lot to learn from our terroirs, but we are keen to demonstrate the full potential of the great estate and spend a lot of time and energy to achieve this,” says Guigal.

The rich history of Chateau Nalys goes back even further than this special estate. The area was settled around the late 10th or early 11th century, and by 1317 Pope John XXII began building the hilltop castle in the village for which it is now partly named.

As for the Nalys estate itself, it consists of 60 hectares divided into three plots of equal size, each with its own terroir. One of these, La Crau, shows pebbly soil – the round rocks are known as galets roulés – and is located in what Guigal calls, "Châteauneuf's most recognizable and legendary terroir."

The "second wine" of Nalys, the Chateauneuf du Pape Saintes Pierres is a blend of 69% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Cinsault, 4% Muscardin and 1% each Counoise and Mourvèdre. It was put together by the Guigal team. It is an attractive, full-bodied wine that produces ripe cherries, a hint of stone fruit and very supple tannins. It is a ripe, juicy wine with a mouthful of red and dark fruit and is a Chateauneuf du Pape with excellent price/quality.