If you need a blockbuster red to enjoy with your family and Easter dinner, this is a wine that brings it all together!
The 2023 Chateauneuf-du-Pape from Domaine de Cristia is everything you want in a "special occasion" wine—it's rich without being heavy, and it's polished but still full of Southern Rhone soul. Think ripe dark cherry, blackberry, garrigue, and warm spice, all wrapped in a texture that feels both generous and lifted.
Cristia is the kind of producer insiders quietly love. Founded in the 1940's, the estate has slowly built up its reputation under the watch of the Grangeon family. Today, siblings Baptiste and Dominque farm beautiful, old Grenache vines—many 50-100+ years old—grown on sandy soils that naturally yield wines with finesse and aromatics over sheer weight and power.
They strike a rare balance: authenticity without rusticity, polish without losing soul.
Critics have taken notice, with praise in the 92–94 point range and a drinking window of 2025 through 2035. Most have also highlighted the wine for its balance, purity, and immediate drinkability. This is a vintage that shows lovely freshness, and that's what makes it so versatile at the table.
That’s where it will shine the brightest. Roast lamb, glazed ham, mushroom dishes, spring vegetables—this wine handles it all with ease. It’s the kind of bottle that elevates the meal without stealing the show.
Josh Spurling
Owner, Operator, Wine Monger
Table Wine Asheville
