Community Tasting Note

drwine2001 wrote:

Sunday, May 7, 2006 - A trip back in time before luxury cuvees got started in earnest in 1989. And the forgotten vintage of the heralded southern Rhone trio of '88-'90. This wine had a fascinating trajectory over a couple hours of being open. Medium light color with fading but not browning edges--looked like a 15 year old Burgundy. Nothing on the nose at first, and an initial lean, stern palate impression that very much recalled the Claret-like analogies that Clos des Papes sometimes calls to mind. Then for the next hour, dominated by a distinct wood char, smoky aroma--did this actually come from oak?? Finally, mulberry fruit, some rosemary high tones, and fig emerged, and the wine tasted much lusher, only to have this burst of fruit and lushness be overtaken by the remaining tannins after about two and a half hours. Autumnal but very much alive at age 18. Bravo, Clos des Papes, which was producing classic wines long before many of the newcomers on the Chateauneuf scene.

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