Weekly tasting group #202; C9duP 2009

This evening’s theme was Chateauneuf du Pape 2009 and all wines were tasted fully blind.

• 2009 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape 89 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Beautiful bouquet with cherries, red berry fruits and some coffee. On the palate red berries, strawberries, herbs and spices, a touch of pleasant sweetness, good acidity and pleasant slightly sticky tannin. Elegant wine.

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• 2009 Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Signature 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  In the bouquet dark forest fruits, some graphite, minerals and a bit rustic. On the palate a concentrated wine with dark forest fruits, dark cherries, licorice, a lot of herbs and spices, cherry liquor bonbons, some leather, coffee, good acidity and slightly sticky tannin. Still very youthful, but already a pleasure. Probably wise to wait until 2019 at least. 91+ for this evening.

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• 2009 Famille Brunier Châteauneuf-du-Pape L'Accent de la Roquete 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Beautiful bouquet with a lot of herbs and spices, dark forest fruits, licorice, laurel and some coffee. On the palate a sweet start with ripe cherries, herbs and spices, chocolate, beautiful acidity, soft tannin and some pleasant bitterness. Beautiful and elegant wine. Ready now and a future until at least the end of this decade.

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• 2009 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  The bouquet shows ripe cherries, herbs and spices, some minerals and slightly rustic flavors. On the palate a lot of cherries and red berry fruits, some dark berries as well, green herbs, spices, chocolate, good acidity and slightly sticky tannin. Overall a beautiful wine. Early maturity now and no problem cellaring this until 2019. 91+

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• 2009 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Auguste Favier 92 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Beautiful bouquet with dark berries and cherries, also some strawberry, herbs and spices and still a little bit lactic. On the palate a lot of herbs and spices, dark and red forest fruits, some chocolate, coffee and tobacco, a touch of sweetness, soft acidity and round tannin with still a soft bite. Overall a beautiful and well balanced wine in the first half of its maturity stage. So much better than the basic wine of this domain and it can definitely last until 2019+. 91 – 92

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• 2009 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Collection Charles Giraud 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Beautiful bouquet with a lot of herbs and spices. Thyme, rosemary, lavender and some caramel. Also beautifully ripe fruits. On the palate lush and ripe fruits again, also strawberries, raisins and white pepper. A firm amount of sweetness and also pleasant acidity, soft acidity with still a nice bite. The alcohol shows a bit, but overall this is a lush and delicious wine. Young maturity now and I hope to taste it again around 2020. (Just see I have 2 bottles, so there will be a follow up on this TN.) 92 – 93 for this evening.

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• 2009 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  In the bouquet beautiful dark fruits, some red fruits, garrigue, licorice and laurel. On the palate ripe fruits, herbs and spices, some chocolate and licorice. Firm acidity and tannin with still a firm bite. Pleasant bitterness in the finish. Overall a concentrated wine in its very young maturity stage. This can last until well into the 2020’s. Beautiful wine. 92 – 93+.

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• 2009 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Expressive bouquet with a lot of garrigue and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. Also a pleasant touch of barnyard. On the palate juicy fruits e.g. cherries, a lot of herbs and spices, some chocolate, good acidity, fairly mild tannin and a good length. Overall a beautiful and elegant wine which seems to be fully mature now, but without any doubt it can last for several years more. Around 2019 I would like to taste this wine again to see how much potential is left. For this evening 92 – 93.

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• 2009 Famille Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape Colombis 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Beautiful bouquet with red fruits, currants, beautiful garrigue and some cocoa. On the palate red berry fruits, cherries as well, a lot of garrigue, some chocolate, beautiful and juicy acidity and mild tannin with still a pleasant bite. Overall a really beautiful, refined and elegant wine in its young maturity stage. No problem enjoying this until the early 2020’s. 93 – 94 for this evening.

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• 2009 Domaine de Cristia Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  The wine is almost black. The bouquet is quite special with some glue and acetone, but also dark forest fruits, some red fruits, laurel, chocolate and cinnamon. On the palate very concentrated, juicy dark berries, salty licorice and black pepper, but also some glue impressions. Firm acidity and round, slightly sticky tannin. I am in doubt; is this an off bottle, or is this wine so concentrated and still much too young so it still has to find its balance? Need to taste again around 2020 I suppose. No score for today.

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• 2009 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois 94 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  In the bouquet dark forest fruits, herbs and spices, licorice, laurel, chocolate and some (good) medicine and minerals. On the palate very juicy dark berries, herbs and spices, chocolate, a pleasant touch of sweetness nicely balanced by beautiful acidity and supple, still firm tannin. Overall a beautiful and concentrated wine. Very happy to have a few. First one scheduled for 2018.

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• 2009 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape

  Beautiful and complex bouquet with dark forest fruits, garrigue and some brown spiced biscuit. On the palate juicy dark berries, garrigue, a pleasant touch of sweetness, beautiful acidity and tannin with still a firm bite. The wine is still a few years too young, but already pleasurable. Probably wise to wait until 2019 at least. For now 93++ and around 2020 this could easily give a 94 or 95 score.

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• 2009 Domaine Gourt de Mautens (Jérôme Bressy) Rasteau 93 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Rasteau

  Beautiful bouquet with dark berries, and a lot of herbs and spices. On the palate beautifully ripe dark forest fruits, a lot of chocolate, mild acidity and round tannin with a beautiful bite. The wine is completely ready now and still has enough power to last at until least the end of the decade. A really great pleasure now, so why wait?

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