The 2006 vintage marks the debut release of Autard’s highly personal and original Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Juline. Named for his two children, the wine is a blend of 50% Syrah from 55 year old vines on a parcel with sandy soil and 50% Grenache from 80 year old vines from a parcel with "galets roules" (the famed round stones) and sand. The Cuvee Juline is made through fermentation, vinification and maturation entirely in new, medium toast, Seguin-Moreau barrels (each made from oak of diverse origins) with one side removed. The fruit is placed directly in the casks and given a 30 day maceration period in these barrels with daily pigeage (pushing down of the solids into the juice) by hand. The cepages are vinified separately. At the end of the maceration period, the wine is transferred to a tank, the solids are pressed, and the juice then returned to the barrels within two days. At this point, the barrel maker comes to the winery to replace the sides of the barrels, and the wine then begins its 16 month maturation period in these same barrels. Four days before bottling, the Grenache and Syrah are assembled in a tank, fined, and bottled without filtration. Autard produced 2000 bottles of Cuvee Juline in 2006. Tasting a barrel sample about half-way in the course of elevage, Parker commented in October 2007: “With full body, huge glycerin, great richness and depth, this is a stunner and certainly looks to be one of the top dozen or so wines of the 2006 vintage. (92-94).

Review

"Gorgeous aromatics of fruitcake, mocha and Turkishcoffee lead the way for a dense but remarkably silky palate that courses with raspberry ganache, plum sauce and dark currant fruit. The long, powerful finish just sails on, leaving echoes of exotic spice, toast and graphite. A very impressive young wine. Equal parts Syrah and Grenache, fermented and aged in new oak barrels. Debut for this cuvee. Best from 2010 through 2030." 95 Pts. - JM