Xavier Châteauneuf-Du-Pape 2012

Thanks for liking this wine! Let your friends on Twitter and Facebook know about it by clicking on the buttons here.

If you've already connected your Twitter account, then you don't need to click on the Twitter button to share your review as it'll be done for you.

Optional: Before you share your wine find with friends, you can pick a score or make a quick tasting note, or both if you like:

My Score:

My Tasting Notes:

Expand Box

Community Reviews

There is 1 user submitted review for this wine.

Greg Hughes rated this wine as 89/100 with the following review:

Xavier are a pretty notable producer from the Southern Rhône. They also make very good Gigondas, Vaqueyras, and simple Cotes du Rhône. This one is Grenache heavy, as Chateuneuf usually are. This one has Shiraz and Mourvedre carrying the balance of what is left over (35%).
Deep, soft purple, with a ruby rim.
The aromas are really on the red fruit - cherry compote, bay leaf, and cigar box.
Bright red fruit on the palate, with lots of oak spice and tannin. Red plum, pain grille, chocolate, and a tiny bit of southern scrub herb that is usually associated with these wines.
It is a fine wine, to be sure. Ginger beef kabobs blackened on the BBQ would be just great with this. Grilled peppers, stuffed with veal and parm too.

Natalie's Review

Xavier Châteauneuf-Du-Pape 2012, Rhône A.C., France: Black cherry liqueur on the nose and palate of this huge southern French red wine blend. Plush black plum aromas give this wine a luscious mouth-filling character and juiciness before an incoming tide of peppered darker fruit that creates a lovely bite. Full-bodied and voluptuous. Drink now if you decant for 2 hours or hold it in your cellar for a decade or more. Incredible richness, depth and concentration. Demands hearty meat dishes. This is a blend of 65% Grenache and the remainder equal parts Mourvèdre and Syrah grapes. Loaded with purple and black plums and liquorice on the finish. Drink: 2017-2020. 244814 14.50% XD 750 mL $44.95 Score: 92/100. July 22, 2017 Top Rated Red Wine. Best Beef Wine Full Review

WANT TO LEARN HOW TO

PAIR WINE
& FOOD?

Join me in a free online video class to learn the secrets to perfect pairings.

SAVE MY SEAT!

Wine of the Week

As featured on

Bolla Red Wine
Amarone Della Valpolicella 2015,
Veneto D.O.C.G. ...

Natalie MacLean

Natalie MacLean offers North America's most popular online wine and food pairing classes. She was named the World's Best Drinks Writer at the World Food Media Awards in Australia.

Natalie has published two books with Random House, both selected as one of Amazon's Best Books of the Year.

Join 323,245 thirsty wine lovers who get access to all of her wine reviews by becoming a member of her site. Take a free online pairing class with her here.

FEEL LOST IN THE

LCBO?

Know the wines you want before you even get to the store with my wine reviews. Join now. It's free.

Red, White & Drunk All Over

Best Books of the Year

Natalie MacLean writes about wine with a sensuous obsession... and often laugh-out-loud funny... Terrific.

Rex Pickett, Sideways

Ms. MacLean is the disarming Everywoman. She loves wine, loves drinking ... ultimately, it's a winning formula.

Eric Asimov, The New York Times

GOT A SMARTPHONE?

Access my reviews on mobile with the bar code scanner.

GET NAT'S APP

Unquenchable: A Tipsy Search

Best Books of the Year

Natalie MacLean is a new force in the wine writing world ‐ a feisty North American answer to Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson. She can write beautifully about wine.

The Financial Times of London

There are very few people in the wine world who "get it" and Natalie is one of those who brings more fun to a buttoned-up and stodgy game.

Gary Vaynerchuck, Wine Library TV

Starting a Wine Cellar?

Expert advice for all budgets

From wine racks to underground caves, insider tips on size and space, number of bottles, ideal conditions and reputable resources. learn more

Welcome Back!Sign in here:

Not Registered?Become one of our thirsty clan 323,245 strong: