Château Sistine Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOP

Châteauneuf-du-Pape of the old school: dense, meaty, with a fragrance that grows in the glass — not a wine for hasty consumption.

Jean-Marc Diffonty manages his sites in the southern Rhône Valley with a focus on old vines. The Château Sixtine is his Grand Vin — pressed from grapes from vines that have struck deep roots over decades into the famous galets roulés, the round quartz pebbles of the appellation. These soils store the sun's heat of the Mistral climate and slowly release the heat to the grapes at night — this explains the ripe, full-bodied character of this cuvée.

In the glass, it shows a deep ruby red. The nose opens with dark blackberry, plum, and an earthy undertone of thyme and lavender — typical for the Grenache-dominated wines of the appellation. On the palate, it spreads out broad and warm: full body, supple tannins without sharp edges, a long finish with notes of black pepper and a hint of leather spice.

Serving temperature: 16–18 °C. Ideal with braised lamb with rosemary, wild boar ragout, or a strong Ossau-Iraty from the Basque country.