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Annual CdP Dinner
Edina Country Club, MN
Tasted December 26, 2012 by grafstrb with 617 views
Introduction
Another great event this year! Many thanks to my good friend, Johnny, for once again organizing this annual event. My notes should be read as general impressions only: the nature of the event means I was only able to spend less than an hour with each wine, and I was additionally fighting-off a cold. I thought the '03 Charvin and '01 Clos des Papes were both showing significantly better than the rest of the lineup on this evening, with the '01 Pegau probably occupying the next tier by itself.
Flight 1 (9 notes)
White
2009 Ferraton Père & Fils St. Joseph Blanc Les Oliviers
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 45 min. --
NOSE: strong musty note --- like a damp canvas tent; faint tropical fruits; minty banana; with time in the glass, the musty note weakened (but never disappeared), and the fruits became more like caramel popcorn; expressive, engaging, but a bit odd.
BODY: golden yellow color of medium depth; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: oaky; rich; plush; smoky; lots of mineral and lanolin; 14.5% alc. not noticeable; slightly oily; pretty rich; good today, but likely better further down the line --- I’d be inclined to give it at least 10 years.
-- tasted a couple pours non-blind over approx. 45 min. --
NOSE: strong musty note --- like a damp canvas tent; faint tropical fruits; minty banana; with time in the glass, the musty note weakened (but never disappeared), and the fruits became more like caramel popcorn; expressive, engaging, but a bit odd.
BODY: golden yellow color of medium depth; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: oaky; rich; plush; smoky; lots of mineral and lanolin; 14.5% alc. not noticeable; slightly oily; pretty rich; good today, but likely better further down the line --- I’d be inclined to give it at least 10 years.
Red
2008 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
-- 1 hr. slow-ox before the event; initial taste approx. 2.5 hours after cork first pulled --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: red fruits; herby; sweaty shoes; smells very stemmy, which struck me as odd b/c I know Clos des Papes destems; cardamom; overall, this wine presents a cool-climate range of aromatics --- perhaps this is the vintage coming through?
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: fresh; drying tannin; 15% alc. not noticeable; kind of thin and weedy; a bit loosely structured; light orange juice note; light garrigue on the finish, which is of medium length and medium intensity. Not a bad wine, but this is a bad Clos des Papes, and a horrible QPR. I had hopes that, of all producers, perhaps Clos des Papes would be able to overcome the problems presented by the 2008 vintage --- sadly, they did not.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: red fruits; herby; sweaty shoes; smells very stemmy, which struck me as odd b/c I know Clos des Papes destems; cardamom; overall, this wine presents a cool-climate range of aromatics --- perhaps this is the vintage coming through?
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: fresh; drying tannin; 15% alc. not noticeable; kind of thin and weedy; a bit loosely structured; light orange juice note; light garrigue on the finish, which is of medium length and medium intensity. Not a bad wine, but this is a bad Clos des Papes, and a horrible QPR. I had hopes that, of all producers, perhaps Clos des Papes would be able to overcome the problems presented by the 2008 vintage --- sadly, they did not.
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Red
2003 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape
-- popped and poured --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 50 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: zesty red/purple berries; moderate leather note; garrigue; black licorice spice; really nice.
BODY: little bit of age creeping into the coloration at the wine’s edges; (forgot to note weight: seem to recall it being medium to medium-full bodied)
TASTE: savory/herby; leathery; a bit horsey; tons of garrigue; drying tannin, and good acidity; 14.5% alc. well-hidden; very nice, and not typical of the ’03 CdP vintage. Drinks well now, but will probably continue to hold for at least another 5 years: I don’t see it improving much, however. My WOTN.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 50 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: zesty red/purple berries; moderate leather note; garrigue; black licorice spice; really nice.
BODY: little bit of age creeping into the coloration at the wine’s edges; (forgot to note weight: seem to recall it being medium to medium-full bodied)
TASTE: savory/herby; leathery; a bit horsey; tons of garrigue; drying tannin, and good acidity; 14.5% alc. well-hidden; very nice, and not typical of the ’03 CdP vintage. Drinks well now, but will probably continue to hold for at least another 5 years: I don’t see it improving much, however. My WOTN.
Red
2001 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
-- 1 hr. decant before the event; initial taste approx. 1 hour into the event --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: savory; purple fruits; anise; dried herbs; meaty – lamb.
BODY: some age showing in the wine’s coloration at the edges; medium bodied.
TASTE: serious acidity here; spicy; hint of oak; fine tannin; 13.5% alc.. not noticeable; hint of walnut – not oxidized, but rather savory; I liked this a lot – probably more than all other attendees.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: savory; purple fruits; anise; dried herbs; meaty – lamb.
BODY: some age showing in the wine’s coloration at the edges; medium bodied.
TASTE: serious acidity here; spicy; hint of oak; fine tannin; 13.5% alc.. not noticeable; hint of walnut – not oxidized, but rather savory; I liked this a lot – probably more than all other attendees.
Red
2001 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
-- 1 hr. decant before the event; initial taste approx. 1.25 hours into the event --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: red licorice and black licorice; fruits starting to smell a bit aged; 2nd pour was much less expressive than the first.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: tight, and very acidic; reserved red fruits; 14% alc. not noticeable; fruit flavors are at a nice primary-tertiary balance point right now; drinking well now, but I do think there’s room for improvement over the short-term. This bottle showed much better than one we had at this event 5 years ago. My second-favorite CdP of tonight’s lineup.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 2 hours later --
NOSE: red licorice and black licorice; fruits starting to smell a bit aged; 2nd pour was much less expressive than the first.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: tight, and very acidic; reserved red fruits; 14% alc. not noticeable; fruit flavors are at a nice primary-tertiary balance point right now; drinking well now, but I do think there’s room for improvement over the short-term. This bottle showed much better than one we had at this event 5 years ago. My second-favorite CdP of tonight’s lineup.
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Red
2004 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina
-- before the event, this was decanted for 4 hours and also sent through a Vinturi 3 times --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 1.5 hours later --
-- 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre --
NOSE: lots of purple purple fruits and spicy florals (violets); moderate oak.
BODY: very dark color of great depth; medium-full bodied
TASTE: earthy and bitter; tannic, with drying medium-grained tannins; what fruit there is shows in the black/purple end of the spectrum; noticeable oak; 14.5% alc. showed itself quite readily. Needs time, but the moderately strong alcohol presence does worry me a bit.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 1.5 hours later --
-- 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre --
NOSE: lots of purple purple fruits and spicy florals (violets); moderate oak.
BODY: very dark color of great depth; medium-full bodied
TASTE: earthy and bitter; tannic, with drying medium-grained tannins; what fruit there is shows in the black/purple end of the spectrum; noticeable oak; 14.5% alc. showed itself quite readily. Needs time, but the moderately strong alcohol presence does worry me a bit.
Red
2004 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
-- 3 hours of slow-ox before the event --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 1.5 hours later --
NOSE: weird: refried beans; cumin; raspberry; hints of petrol and citrus. Not off, just weird.
BODY: dark color; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: non-descript fruit (call it raspberry, maybe?); 14% alc. stands-out, but perhaps this is due to the slightly elevated acidity; not much going on here right now. I’ll continue to hold my one bottle in hopes that this was merely in a closed stage this evening. If this bottle was representative (and I have no reason to believe it wasn’t), this wine should not be approached right now.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 1.5 hours later --
NOSE: weird: refried beans; cumin; raspberry; hints of petrol and citrus. Not off, just weird.
BODY: dark color; medium to medium-full bodied.
TASTE: non-descript fruit (call it raspberry, maybe?); 14% alc. stands-out, but perhaps this is due to the slightly elevated acidity; not much going on here right now. I’ll continue to hold my one bottle in hopes that this was merely in a closed stage this evening. If this bottle was representative (and I have no reason to believe it wasn’t), this wine should not be approached right now.
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Red
2007 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
-- 4 hour decant before the event --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 1.5 hours later --
NOSE: lots of red-fruits; fruit leather; moderately expressive to expressive.
BODY: dark color; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: very ripe red fruit flavors, with a hint of leather and lots of garrigue; showing much better tonight than this same wine did two years ago: perhaps there’s hope for this wine after all.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min., and then another pour non-blind over approx. 15 min. about 1.5 hours later --
NOSE: lots of red-fruits; fruit leather; moderately expressive to expressive.
BODY: dark color; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: very ripe red fruit flavors, with a hint of leather and lots of garrigue; showing much better tonight than this same wine did two years ago: perhaps there’s hope for this wine after all.
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Comments (2)
Red
2005 Domaine Jamet Côte-Rôtie
-- slow-ox for a couple hours before tasting --
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min. --
NOSE: expressive; white fruits; oak; peppery.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: thin and oaky; not much fruit (but my palate had tired at this point, so perhaps there was more fruit there than I was perceiving); 12.5% alc. not noticeable; I was expecting more from this wine, given the vintage and producer.
-- tasted a single pour non-blind over approx. 30 min. --
NOSE: expressive; white fruits; oak; peppery.
BODY: medium bodied.
TASTE: thin and oaky; not much fruit (but my palate had tired at this point, so perhaps there was more fruit there than I was perceiving); 12.5% alc. not noticeable; I was expecting more from this wine, given the vintage and producer.