Light ruby, pink at the rim. Nose is initially tight, but opens to reveal a candied and bubble gum profile. Palate is light bodied and fruity - with more sweet candied notes. Juicy acidity keeps it fresh. Lighter finish. My 8/9, Group 7/9.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby color. Nose is open for business with cherry fruit, herbs, olive and pepper. Palate also rocking. Yum - great herby and funky fruit. Good intensity. Seamless across the palate into a long finish. Classic stuff. My 3/9, Group 3/9.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby hue. Nose is generous with big ripe candied red fruit, herbs and a kiss of toast. Palate is round, rich and medium bodied with tart fruit. Plenty of energy on the mid palate, but a quick herby finish. My 7/9, Group 5/9.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby. Nose is big with loads of rich sweet fruit, herbal aromas emerge with time in the glass. Oh yeah ... this is drinking great on the palate -- pure fruit, garrigue, herbs, spice. Palate has great length and goes on and on. My 5/9, Group 4/9. I under-scored this one in the line up.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby brown in color. Nose is just killer - wow. Aromas black fruit, herbs, garrigue, black pepper. Just keeps getting better. Palate follows suit by firing on all cylinders. Great herb-filled fruit with notes of pepper, tea and spice adding complexity. Long, intense finish. My 2/9, Group 1/9. Heard at the tasting that this bottling is hit or miss ... tonight we drank a hit.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby and almost inky at the core. Nose is effusive with bright rich cherry fruit and herbal notes. Palate is powerful with big, sexy, sleek red and black fruit. Great length and intensity. Tastes new world and most (including me) were confidently guessing this as a ringer (not CdP). My 4/9, Group 6/9.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby brown hue. Nose is predominantly earth, funk and herbs with some dark fruit notes emerging with time in the glass. Palate is medium bodied with black fruit. Drinking young with good intensity but simple. Quicker finish. My 6/9, Group 8/9.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby brown hue. Oh yea - aromas define CdP funk. Gorgeous effusive nose with garrigue, smoked herbs, tar, pepper and black fruit. Palate is generous with killer, medium bodied fruit and more funk-filled complexity - tar, herbs, smoky notes. Great balance and length. My 1/9, Group 2/9.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby and inky at the core. Nose seems a little off relative to the line up -- more canned fruit with burnt rubber notes. Seems over-ripe. Palate is big with sweet, rich candied fruit. Much better than the nose. Tastes youthful and in a modern style. Didn't fare well in the line-up. My 9/9, Group 9/9.
1998 Clarendon Hills Grenache Old Vines Clarendon 87 Points
Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, Clarendon
Light ruby, pink at the rim. Nose is initially tight, but opens to reveal a candied and bubble gum profile. Palate is light bodied and fruity - with more sweet candied notes. Juicy acidity keeps it fresh. Lighter finish. My 8/9, Group 7/9.
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2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby color. Nose is open for business with cherry fruit, herbs, olive and pepper. Palate also rocking. Yum - great herby and funky fruit. Good intensity. Seamless across the palate into a long finish. Classic stuff. My 3/9, Group 3/9.
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2000 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape 89 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby hue. Nose is generous with big ripe candied red fruit, herbs and a kiss of toast. Palate is round, rich and medium bodied with tart fruit. Plenty of energy on the mid palate, but a quick herby finish. My 7/9, Group 5/9.
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2000 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 91 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby. Nose is big with loads of rich sweet fruit, herbal aromas emerge with time in the glass. Oh yeah ... this is drinking great on the palate -- pure fruit, garrigue, herbs, spice. Palate has great length and goes on and on. My 5/9, Group 4/9. I under-scored this one in the line up.
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1998 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 95 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby brown in color. Nose is just killer - wow. Aromas black fruit, herbs, garrigue, black pepper. Just keeps getting better. Palate follows suit by firing on all cylinders. Great herb-filled fruit with notes of pepper, tea and spice adding complexity. Long, intense finish. My 2/9, Group 1/9. Heard at the tasting that this bottling is hit or miss ... tonight we drank a hit.
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2003 Cuvée du Vatican Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Sixtine 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby and almost inky at the core. Nose is effusive with bright rich cherry fruit and herbal notes. Palate is powerful with big, sexy, sleek red and black fruit. Great length and intensity. Tastes new world and most (including me) were confidently guessing this as a ringer (not CdP). My 4/9, Group 6/9.
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2001 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chante Le Merle Vieilles Vignes 89 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby brown hue. Nose is predominantly earth, funk and herbs with some dark fruit notes emerging with time in the glass. Palate is medium bodied with black fruit. Drinking young with good intensity but simple. Quicker finish. My 6/9, Group 8/9.
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2001 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 95 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Ruby brown hue. Oh yea - aromas define CdP funk. Gorgeous effusive nose with garrigue, smoked herbs, tar, pepper and black fruit. Palate is generous with killer, medium bodied fruit and more funk-filled complexity - tar, herbs, smoky notes. Great balance and length. My 1/9, Group 2/9.
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2000 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 87 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Dark ruby and inky at the core. Nose seems a little off relative to the line up -- more canned fruit with burnt rubber notes. Seems over-ripe. Palate is big with sweet, rich candied fruit. Much better than the nose. Tastes youthful and in a modern style. Didn't fare well in the line-up. My 9/9, Group 9/9.
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