Domaine du Père Caboche, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Rhône Valley, France) 2020

 A blend of 80% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah, this attractive wine presents a lush, deep red color.  The wine’s inviting aromas and flavors evoke red and black fruits anchored by discreet touches of chocolate, ginger, and black pepper.  Jean-Pierre Boisson, who owns and runs Domaine Père Caboche along with his children Emilie and Nicolas, is the former long-serving mayor of Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  The Boisson family has included winemakers and blacksmiths for generations.  Caboche is a family nickname that derives from the old Provencal word for horseshoe nails.  The oldest section of the domaine’s vineyard dates back to 1906.  The soils are dominated by limestone, pebbles, sandstone, clay and sand.  The grapes are hand-harvested at full maturity then carefully sorted, destemmed, and crushed.  The fermentation temperature is strictly controlled, and the wine is aged for 12 months in oak and stainless-steel tanks.