Not totally overdone, but I would have preferred the alcohol and ripeness dialed back a touch. There are some great flavors and complexity to be enjoyed here though. Silky tannins and some solid winemaking. Just pretty hot for my taste.
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Missing detailed notes but expressed strong traits of a CDP. Big fruit, tamed a bit with age, lush, full bodied, powerful, but back palate is smooth. Long finish.
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Nice wine. Dark red fruit bordering on cherry cola, maybe even jammy. Wild flowers and ripe fruit, some charred meat on the finish. Perhaps lacking acidity or bordering on overripe. Overall glad I have a couple more but will drink on the next two years.
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Blackberry along with floral (lavender) and herbal (thyme) elements on the nose. Big, dark and somewhat brooding on the palate, with flavors of blackberry, ripe mission fig with some garigue on the back palate. Nice juicy refined tannins on the finish. Has moderate sediments in the end of the bottle, revealing nice progression in aging. Drinking nicely now, but I suspect another 2-4 years of aging will refine this to perfection.
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Outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape! At $69, outstanding QPR for our taste. One hour decant allowed it time to open, revealing layers of flavor and a great finish. Plan to pick up some additional bottles and hold for a few years after reading a recent comment. We've had at least a dozen different CdP and this was by far the most complex, interesting, and flavorful one we've found. Decided to spend a few more dollars than we usually would for Rhone and it paid off in spades. Plan to try some other vintages of this same wine too.
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Open and a brief decant and surprisingly that was all it needed to shine. Dark berries, plum and botanicals on the nose. Medium+ in body with rich flavors and red fruits, black pepper and a finish that was lasting with a spice and herbal hint. An outstanding CdP especially for the price.
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Don't pay too much attention to my rating - it is a guess. This wine is young and sappy, but not really ready to drink unless you want young Grenache/Syrah (it can be pleasurable sometimes if you are looking for loads flavor and alcohol - like at a fancy barbecue). I am expecting the sweetness to wain over time which should make it very interesting. In any case, this is a very good wine with a good future - the flavors are great right now. I'll wait at least 5 years before I try my next one - the only reason I tried it now was because I moved my wine collection to storage and this was the only case I missed. It was buried under a pile of discarded boxes!
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Blind, medium ruby, overly sweet entry, light to medium body notes of spiced cherries, powerful for the color. Slightly alcoholic (16% alc.) ending on a menthol and long-lasting finish. A great Châteauneuf-du-Pap, not amongst the top I have had for the vintage and definitely not worth the $80 CAD price tag. Drink by 2030.
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Nez sur le fruit noir, la viande grillée. Bouche puissante d’un jeune vin sudiste fringant, mûr et gourmand, d’une rondeur voluptueuse qui cache les tanins sous une tonne de petits fruits rouges et noirs. Il emplit la bouche et se montre Très savoureux, long et bien proportionné, tout bonnement délicieux en mode « bombe de fruit ». Pas un style pour le palais bourguignon de ma blonde, mais c’est une sacré belle bouteille de Chateauneuf du Pape. 93+ pts
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I initially planned to hold on to this bottle for an additional year or two, as I uncorked my first bottle in May 2020. Because my landlord's son is going to leave the city shortly after Christmas, and his favourite wine region is Southern Rhône, I had an excuse to commit another infanticide.
2016 Domaine de la Charbonnière Les Hautes Brusquières was powerful and perfumed, interlaced with profound ripe dark fruits and complex herbs. The youthful Châteauneuf-du-Pape was clear and medium ruby in colour without any sediments.
Freshly uncorked, there were subtle aromas of ripe dark cherry and thyme herbs and a hint of bitter astringency. It took four hours of in-bottle aeration to resolve the bitterness and open up impressive aromatics of blackberry, lavender and liqourice, followed by black pepper, wet stones and smoke.
The mouthfeel was dry and full-bodied, with medium levels of fresh acidity and polished tannin. Intense flavours of kirsch, violets, garrigue and stony minerality expanded on the mid-palate, transitioning to bramble and medium roasted coffee in a long remarkable aftertaste.
At 16% alcohol, the heat was a bit noticeable as it warmed up it glass. In order to retain more delicate floral and fruity aromatics, and to mitigate the alcoholic sensation, it could be served gently chilled at cellar temperature at around 13 degree Celsius. The blend was composed of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. About 10,000 bottles were produced in 2016.
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Medium acidity and high tannins, strawberries and thyme. Quite bold and almost as great as La Folie for considerably cheaper. This is definitely a winner.
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2016 Domaine de la Charbonnière Cuvée Spéciale Les Hautes Brusquières was evolving and intensely flavored, while retaining vital freshness and balance. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape was clear and medium ruby in colour without any sediments. It took two hours of aeration to open up complex aromatics of violets, ripe dark cherries, lavender, liqourice and toffee. With five hours, notes of blackberries, herbs, smoke and wet stones intensified.
On the palate, it was dry, spicy and full-bodied, balanced by medium level of fresh acidity and medium-high level of fine gripping tannin. The mouthfeel evolved over the evening, showing more roundness, liqourice and ripe fruit notes at the two-hour mark, evolving to display mulberries, garrique and a vein of stony minerality at the five-hour mark. At every stage, it was marked by freshness, incredible balance and lingering aftertaste.
While the 16% alcohol might seem scary on the label, it was nicely concealed by the notes of ripe fruits and herbs. The blend consisted of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, While it was enjoyable at the moment, it would develop nicely over the next ten years to gain complexities of earth, leather and spices.
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Mouth: Black currant, mission fig, and acai flavors come through in melted waves, showing flashes of pipe tobacco and licorice before a giving up to a complete bouquet of garrigue: grilled sage, dried lavender and thyme ripple across the palate, showing just a bit of bitter loam before echoing back again in an endless, singing finish. Tannins are round already, with additional polish to come.
Overall: A full, dark take, with a regal fruit profile and a finish that sails on and on, this is serious: lush and full at first before yielding to a garrigue finish that takes center stage with the fruit as its support in the end. Shows both sides of the coin beautifully. 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah. Drink now-2040.
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Slightly closed; Garrigue with notes of blkberries
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it works its way into & through the LONG, balanced finish with a potential elegance to the bitter/SWT, dusty tannins. NEEDS 12-18 mos, then drinking into '25? Nicely done! 16% ABV; My EXC. [This vendor's $55.95 is now $4 < wine-searcher's lowest posting.]
Note: 1st tasted on 10/5/19
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This wine is a ferocious monster that all but roars at you as the wine hits your palate. If you are a lover of CDP, then go ahead and try it. Otherwise, don't bother. At this point, it's a closed down rustic behemoth that offers little complexity. However, all of the requisite components are there so I think this wine has tremendous potential to be an old-school beauty. My score is based on potential rather than how it's showing at the moment.
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P: Med body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which surprises me as to how MUCH it works itself out by the LONG, BALANCED finish with an attractive tangy/swtness to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS through '21, then EASILY making its 10th. A potentially elegant style! 16% ABV; My EXC, EXC+ eventually? [This vendor's $55.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest posting.]
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Southern Rhône trip with Rainer. Tasted at the Domaine, with knowledgeable Véronique. From what I recall, the blend is roughly 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. €45. Slightly reductive nose. Red and black fruit, coffee, herbal notes and spices, with good, supporting acidity, lots of fine, ripe and superb length. Impressive structure. Very precise winemaking. Great stuff! More accessible than the very structured 2015. I bought a few bottles. 92+ for now, with lots of potential.
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The depth of flavor is even more noticeable than the dark color the wine is concentrated, full bodied and intense. Spicy, meaty, smoky, with layers of peppered black raspberries at every turn, give this time in the cellar for the Syrah to further develop and the tannins will soften as well. This should age nicely. The wine was produced using a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah.
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3/24/2024 - Bjweiss Likes this wine: 90 Points
Not totally overdone, but I would have preferred the alcohol and ripeness dialed back a touch. There are some great flavors and complexity to be enjoyed here though. Silky tannins and some solid winemaking. Just pretty hot for my taste.
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1/19/2024 - Jerrywine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Lovely wine with nice earthiness, leather, herbs and berries on the nose and taste. Nice long finish and an altogether wine.
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1/13/2024 - JustOneMoreGlass Likes this wine: 94 Points
Missing detailed notes but expressed strong traits of a CDP. Big fruit, tamed a bit with age, lush, full bodied, powerful, but back palate is smooth. Long finish.
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7/9/2023 - twoheadedguy Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice wine. Dark red fruit bordering on cherry cola, maybe even jammy. Wild flowers and ripe fruit, some charred meat on the finish. Perhaps lacking acidity or bordering on overripe. Overall glad I have a couple more but will drink on the next two years.
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5/16/2023 - Jhalpern27 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Short 45 min decant, very enjoyable CDP and hits way above its price.
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4/20/2023 - Scottwhipp Likes this wine: 94 Points
Blackberry along with floral (lavender) and herbal (thyme) elements on the nose. Big, dark and somewhat brooding on the palate, with flavors of blackberry, ripe mission fig with some garigue on the back palate. Nice juicy refined tannins on the finish. Has moderate sediments in the end of the bottle, revealing nice progression in aging. Drinking nicely now, but I suspect another 2-4 years of aging will refine this to perfection.
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9/22/2022 - Drewski1975 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking exceptionally well - what a beauty!
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2/11/2022 - PJHaveron Likes this wine: 91 Points
Bold CDP with decent complexity and nice finish
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2/5/2022 - D'Yquembe Mutumbo wrote: 90 Points
Hot, alcoholic. One of my least favorite of the highly rated CdPs of this great vintage. Not a style that I enjoy at all.
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9/18/2021 - ragavolley Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cuir, menthe, poivre et poivron, wow même très jeune super vin
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9/11/2021 - gsomers Likes this wine: 95 Points
Outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape! At $69, outstanding QPR for our taste. One hour decant allowed it time to open, revealing layers of flavor and a great finish. Plan to pick up some additional bottles and hold for a few years after reading a recent comment. We've had at least a dozen different CdP and this was by far the most complex, interesting, and flavorful one we've found. Decided to spend a few more dollars than we usually would for Rhone and it paid off in spades. Plan to try some other vintages of this same wine too.
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9/5/2021 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Open and a brief decant and surprisingly that was all it needed to shine. Dark berries, plum and botanicals on the nose. Medium+ in body with rich flavors and red fruits, black pepper and a finish that was lasting with a spice and herbal hint. An outstanding CdP especially for the price.
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8/25/2021 - samatoid wrote: 95 Points
Don't pay too much attention to my rating - it is a guess. This wine is young and sappy, but not really ready to drink unless you want young Grenache/Syrah (it can be pleasurable sometimes if you are looking for loads flavor and alcohol - like at a fancy barbecue). I am expecting the sweetness to wain over time which should make it very interesting. In any case, this is a very good wine with a good future - the flavors are great right now. I'll wait at least 5 years before I try my next one - the only reason I tried it now was because I moved my wine collection to storage and this was the only case I missed. It was buried under a pile of discarded boxes!
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8/9/2021 - Bgillette wrote:
Do not repurchase. A bit bitter on the finish.
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3/27/2021 - Ara Kafafian Likes this wine: 93 Points
Blind, medium ruby, overly sweet entry, light to medium body notes of spiced cherries, powerful for the color. Slightly alcoholic (16% alc.) ending on a menthol and long-lasting finish. A great Châteauneuf-du-Pap, not amongst the top I have had for the vintage and definitely not worth the $80 CAD price tag. Drink by 2030.
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3/25/2021 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Nez sur le fruit noir, la viande grillée. Bouche puissante d’un jeune vin sudiste fringant, mûr et gourmand, d’une rondeur voluptueuse qui cache les tanins sous une tonne de petits fruits rouges et noirs. Il emplit la bouche et se montre Très savoureux, long et bien proportionné, tout bonnement délicieux en mode « bombe de fruit ». Pas un style pour le palais bourguignon de ma blonde, mais c’est une sacré belle bouteille de Chateauneuf du Pape. 93+ pts
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12/24/2020 - apple1813 Likes this wine: 94 Points
I initially planned to hold on to this bottle for an additional year or two, as I uncorked my first bottle in May 2020. Because my landlord's son is going to leave the city shortly after Christmas, and his favourite wine region is Southern Rhône, I had an excuse to commit another infanticide.
2016 Domaine de la Charbonnière Les Hautes Brusquières was powerful and perfumed, interlaced with profound ripe dark fruits and complex herbs. The youthful Châteauneuf-du-Pape was clear and medium ruby in colour without any sediments.
Freshly uncorked, there were subtle aromas of ripe dark cherry and thyme herbs and a hint of bitter astringency. It took four hours of in-bottle aeration to resolve the bitterness and open up impressive aromatics of blackberry, lavender and liqourice, followed by black pepper, wet stones and smoke.
The mouthfeel was dry and full-bodied, with medium levels of fresh acidity and polished tannin. Intense flavours of kirsch, violets, garrigue and stony minerality expanded on the mid-palate, transitioning to bramble and medium roasted coffee in a long remarkable aftertaste.
At 16% alcohol, the heat was a bit noticeable as it warmed up it glass. In order to retain more delicate floral and fruity aromatics, and to mitigate the alcoholic sensation, it could be served gently chilled at cellar temperature at around 13 degree Celsius. The blend was composed of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. About 10,000 bottles were produced in 2016.
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7/31/2020 - HolyBejeesus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Medium acidity and high tannins, strawberries and thyme. Quite bold and almost as great as La Folie for considerably cheaper. This is definitely a winner.
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5/17/2020 - apple1813 wrote: 94 Points
2016 Domaine de la Charbonnière Cuvée Spéciale Les Hautes Brusquières was evolving and intensely flavored, while retaining vital freshness and balance. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape was clear and medium ruby in colour without any sediments. It took two hours of aeration to open up complex aromatics of violets, ripe dark cherries, lavender, liqourice and toffee. With five hours, notes of blackberries, herbs, smoke and wet stones intensified.
On the palate, it was dry, spicy and full-bodied, balanced by medium level of fresh acidity and medium-high level of fine gripping tannin. The mouthfeel evolved over the evening, showing more roundness, liqourice and ripe fruit notes at the two-hour mark, evolving to display mulberries, garrique and a vein of stony minerality at the five-hour mark. At every stage, it was marked by freshness, incredible balance and lingering aftertaste.
While the 16% alcohol might seem scary on the label, it was nicely concealed by the notes of ripe fruits and herbs. The blend consisted of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah, While it was enjoyable at the moment, it would develop nicely over the next ten years to gain complexities of earth, leather and spices.
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4/12/2020 - RoyaltyCoins wrote: 96 Points
Medium purple, ruby rim.
Nose: Violet flower, potpourri, sweet tobacco, tilled earth. Elegant, perfumed projection.
Mouth: Black currant, mission fig, and acai flavors come through in melted waves, showing flashes of pipe tobacco and licorice before a giving up to a complete bouquet of garrigue: grilled sage, dried lavender and thyme ripple across the palate, showing just a bit of bitter loam before echoing back again in an endless, singing finish. Tannins are round already, with additional polish to come.
Overall: A full, dark take, with a regal fruit profile and a finish that sails on and on, this is serious: lush and full at first before yielding to a garrigue finish that takes center stage with the fruit as its support in the end. Shows both sides of the coin beautifully. 60% Grenache, 40% Syrah. Drink now-2040.
96.
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2/8/2020 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 9 *shared* bottles] from 02/07/20 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Dr. Phil, THANK your for allowing me the opportunity to retaste this! :)
Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: Slightly closed; Garrigue with notes of blkberries
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with NICE, ALMOST swtish frt met by an astringent pucker which stays within hailing distance of the init frt as it works its way into & through the LONG, balanced finish with a potential elegance to the bitter/SWT, dusty tannins. NEEDS 12-18 mos, then drinking into '25? Nicely done! 16% ABV; My EXC. [This vendor's $55.95 is now $4 < wine-searcher's lowest posting.]
Note: 1st tasted on 10/5/19
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10/26/2019 - no oak Likes this wine: 95 Points
This wine is a ferocious monster that all but roars at you as the wine hits your palate. If you are a lover of CDP, then go ahead and try it. Otherwise, don't bother. At this point, it's a closed down rustic behemoth that offers little complexity. However, all of the requisite components are there so I think this wine has tremendous potential to be an old-school beauty. My score is based on potential rather than how it's showing at the moment.
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10/5/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Winebar [4 Whites, 8 Reds, & 8 *shared* bottles] from 10/04/19 (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): Cf. the CellarTracker Article link [lower lft] to get specific info for this vintage, including acclaim.
N: CLOSED; Garrigue & (guessing) RIPE berries; Intensity lurking
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with very NICE, ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by an astringent pucker which surprises me as to how MUCH it works itself out by the LONG, BALANCED finish with an attractive tangy/swtness to the DUSTY tannins. NEEDS through '21, then EASILY making its 10th. A potentially elegant style! 16% ABV; My EXC, EXC+ eventually? [This vendor's $55.95 is $3 < wine-searcher's lowest posting.]
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8/2/2019 - PSPatrick wrote: 92 Points
Southern Rhône trip with Rainer. Tasted at the Domaine, with knowledgeable Véronique. From what I recall, the blend is roughly 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. €45. Slightly reductive nose. Red and black fruit, coffee, herbal notes and spices, with good, supporting acidity, lots of fine, ripe and superb length. Impressive structure. Very precise winemaking. Great stuff! More accessible than the very structured 2015. I bought a few bottles. 92+ for now, with lots of potential.
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9/18/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
The depth of flavor is even more noticeable than the dark color the wine is concentrated, full bodied and intense. Spicy, meaty, smoky, with layers of peppered black raspberries at every turn, give this time in the cellar for the Syrah to further develop and the tannins will soften as well. This should age nicely. The wine was produced using a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah.
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