Rotem & Mounir Saouma Chateauneuf du Pape Arioso 2020

Mounir Saouma’s story in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape started with a state sale of a small plot in Pignan, one of the most famous vineyard areas of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Within this first vineyard acquisition, Mounir has one plot of 100% Grenache planted in the 1930s which yields naturally at a miniscule 1 ton per acre. From these vines he produces Arioso.

In the northeast of the appellation facing “the giant of Provence”, the massive Mont Ventoux mountain”, Pignan’s exposure brings freshness to the natural high ripeness achieved in this area. The rocky and sandy soils of this original plot add a sense of elegance. When you start tasting you understand why some have compared his wines to the great Rayas wines of the 1980s or, perhaps as expected given Mounir’s renown as owner and winemaker of Lucien Le Moine, to Burgundy. The sheer density of the low yielding, old vines dances with the freshness and elegance provided by the site. On the label is aptly explained: “Arioso is a style of opera somewhere between an aria and a recital. We chose this name for our wine because it is evocative of both the ethereal and profound”.

"Smoldering incense and salty iron share the stage with ripe red fruit and a lacquer of toasty cedar in this polished, expertly crafted red, which is texturally stunning, with extremely fine tannins effortlessly carrying the weight. The oak signature will continue to fade into the backdrop with a bit of cellaring, and the powerful, tightly wound core of graphite and fruit will unfurl, so patience will be rewarded. Beautiful and complex." - Wine Spectator, 94 points