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You will find Chateau La Nerthe, slightly concealed by high foliage,
lying at the bend of a hill topped with thorn bushes...
 None
are as grand as Chateau La Nerthe with its 225 contiguous acres (90
hectares) of vines planted in red clay soil and sandy hollows covered
with the areas characteristic pebbles. Many of its noble vines are a
century old !
One of La Nerthe's goals is to ensure the right balance of alcohol content
and tannin in its wines. This begins in the vineyards... By long tradition,
and to avoid the errors that have given some Châteauneuf-du-Pape
wines the reputation of being heavy, highly alcoholic, and prone to
oxidizing. La Nerthe favors, on the spur of Alain Dugas, varieties with
high ageing potential, notably Syrah and Mourvèdre. The yields
at La Nerthe are purposely low in order to produce highly concentrated
grapes.
All of these choices come together in the glass. The wine is the result
of concentrated grapes, a perfect ripeness, a rich structure and appropriate
methods. It marries different flavours and varieties to give high-ageing
potential, mellowness, and subtle aromas of fruits and spices...
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