The Appellation

The “Galet Roulés” pebbles found in the Southern Rhone appellation of Chateauneuf du Pape is known for its famous solar absorbance characteristic. It absorbs heat during the day from the sun, and releases it back at night to the grapes to ensure optimum ripeness. A spicy grape named Grenache (aka Garnacha is Spanish) is the most widely planted variety, and it is the focus behind these robust, full bodied wines. Apart from Grenache, more than a dozen other indigenous grape varieties are also permitted for blending, including Syrah, Mouvedre, Cinsault and even the white grape Roussanne. Flagship examples displays notes of black pepper, dark chocolate, blackberries and earth, and the wines often have outstanding aging potential.

The PRODUCER

Jean-Marie Royer owns 12 hectares of vines, including those in the prestigious areas of Bois de la Ville, Les Grandes Serres, and La Crau located next to Rayas. He started his oenology studies aged 18 in 1982, and started to take back vineyards that were owned by the family but leased out at the time. He is friends with Philippe Cambie, renowned oenologist in Châteauneuf du Pape, and has worked with him since 2000. It was then that he began to keep parcels and varieties separate during fermentation. While he picks late to get good maturity to keep balance and freshness in the wines, he keeps the tanks cold to start and slowly lets them warm up. The fermentation is long and slow. Elegance and finesse rather than opulence is what Jean-Marie targets in his wines.

Always among the most elegant examples of Châteauneuf-du-Pape regardless of vintage, the wines here normally stand out amongst other wines in the region for their fresh fruit and relatively light touch. In fact, one could argue that warm vintages favor owner/winemaker Jean-Marie Royer’s style as the wines’ typical spiciness and intense fruit character is amplified by the increased ripeness of the fruit. These are Châteauneufs for Burgundy lovers and, in fact, Burgophiles can be fooled blind into thinking that they were drinking Pinot Noir when tasting cooler vintages of Royer's wines blind, such is the vibrant red fruit character and florality of those bottlings.

Please see below our special introductory offer for a mixed case of these wines below with a 15% discount off our retail prices. To take advantage of our Vynluna Experience offer, please email sales@vynluna.com.

All in stock in Hong Kong, and offered subject to final confirmation and remaining unsold. E. & O. E.

The wines

Vynluna Experience Mixed Case Offer: $3,570 (15% off $4,200)

2 bottles x Domaine Jean Royer Chateauneuf-du-Pape Prestige 2017 - $480 per bottle
“Bright-hued ruby. Mineral-accented raspberry, cherry liqueur and garrigue aromas are complicated by subtle game and incense nuances. Silky, focused and alluringly sweet, offering pliant red and blue fruit preserve, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that in no way show that this wine is wine is from warm year. Finishes sappy, sweet and extremely long, with suave, well-knit tannins and resonating floral and spice notes.”

Score: 95-96

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com, December 2019

2 bottles x Domaine Jean Royer Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Sables de la Crau 2018 - $720 per bottle
”Glistening ruby. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes spice-accented red berry, cherry and floral qualities, along with an exotic touch of sandalwood. Stains the palate with sappy raspberry, cherry, candied lavender and fruitcake flavors that pick up a smoky mineral quality as the wine opens up. The impressively long, focused finish features resonating floral and spice notes and velvety tannins that make a late appearance.”

Score: 95

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com, October 2021

2 bottles x Domaine Jean Royer Chateauneuf-du-Pape Triplice 2016 - $900 per bottle
“Deep brilliant red. Expressive cherry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by suave floral and baking spice nuances. Sappy, seamless and broad in the mouth, offering appealingly sweet red and dark berry preserve flavors that become deeper as the wine open up. Shows repeating red fruit character on the impressively persistent, floral-dominated finish, which is framed by velvety, harmonious tannins.”

Score: 94

Josh Raynolds, Vinous.com, December 2019