As there is a wide variety of soils in this appellation, Domaine Mathieu can take advantage diversity of terroirs, such as the famous pebbles, or galets, which hold on to the day’s warmth to further the grape’s maturation at the end of the season. In these parcels, the family maintains all of the 13 grapes authorized for use in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation: Grenache, Mourvèdre, Muscardin, Clairette, Cinsault, Counoise, Syrah, Vaccarèse, Terret noir, Roussanne, Picardan, Picpoul and Bourboulenc. Some of these are actually white grapes, and more than likely, there are a few you have never even heard of.

The grapes for this wine come from many different parcels, and are fermented (yes, all 13 varieties of them, though Grenache is the dominant grape here) in old wooden casks for 12 to 14 months. As these casks are decades old, they impart no wood flavor to the wine, but allow a slow exchange of air that helps mature the wine before it is bottled.

The aromas are spicy with the fragrance of small red berries such as currants or raspberries, with lots of complexity from gamy to earthy. These deep and pleasing aromas are followed by an elegant roundness in the mouth and a structure of mature and smooth tannins. The fruit is deep and rich and the length or finish is divine.

This wine pairs well with red meats, game, duck, goose or wildfowl, or ripe cheeses. Rich stews also work well, especially civets, meat stewed in red wine. Give it a little chill (68°F) for best enjoyment.

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