2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina
By Domaine du Clos Saint Jean
2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina from Domaine du Clos Saint Jean, Rhone
Domaine du Clos Saint Jean, a colossus of the Rhone, once again delivered a colossal wine in 2006: the Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina. Several factors combined to craft an investable, singular wine that year, shaping this vintage into one that exudes unique characteristics well worth exploring.
A Vintage Defined by Vigilance
The 2006 Rhone vintage was shaped by variable weather conditions including a warm spring, uneven summer and favourable late season. A vigilant touch was required in the vineyards and winery. For those producers with the experience and foresight to navigate these challenges, such as Domaine du Clos Saint Jean, their wines brought forth intriguing complexity and long ageing potential.
Distinctive for its finesse, balance and elegance, the 2006 Deus Ex Machina distinctly expressed the local terroirs with varietal purity. A harmonious blend between the earthy Grenache and spicy Mourvèdre offers a robust demonstration of what this region can accomplish in defined vintages.
The Promise of Persistence
As stone fruits yield to spices and leather notes with time in glass, this 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina bestows depth and layers within its full-bodied framework. Its energetic acidity is balanced superbly by velvety tannins, resulting in a wine poised for noteworthy evolution.
Understanding the character of this vintage may encourage prudent investors to seek out bottles in well-managed cellars. The fact that the 2006 Deus Ex Machina is still showcasing its vibrant fruit core and multi-layered aromatics bears witness to the wine’s ability to age with grace.
To encapsulate the magic of 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina from Domaine du Clos Saint Jean: Its allure lies in an astute blend of region-specific varietal expression, weather-influenced vintage traits, and a certain savoir-faire. A distinctive testament of winemaking resilience, it is a bottle with a place in any thoughtful wine investment portfolio.
Market price (USD)
$2,180.00
12x75cl
Highest score
98
POP score
99.44
Scores and tasting notes
What’s probably the wine of the vintage, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Deux Ex Machina (60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre; the Grenache was raised all in concrete tank and the Mourvèdre in demi-muids) reveals a saturated ruby color as well as classic notes of tobacco leaf, crushed rocks, pan drippings, graphite, black currants and licorice. Showing more and more dark fruits, as well as additional density and depth, with time in the glass, this full-bodied Chateauneuf du Pape shows the hallmark elegance of the 2006 vintage, yet backs it up with incredible density, depth and length. Like the La Combe des Fous release, enjoy this sensational Chateauneuf du Pape anytime over the coming decade.
Jeb Dunnuck - The Wine Advocate, 3 March 2016