CDP Tasting

This was a really nice CDP tasting put together by Joe.

• 2008 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 90 Points

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

  Light gold color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 40 minutes. Mineral nose with lemon and apple. the palate shows good mineral definition, citrus, lemon, apple, spice on a medium finish. Very nice.

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• 2008 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 92 Points

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

  Medium dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 60 minutes and re-tasted 3 hours later. Nose shows lots of barnyard, funk and damp earth, leather, becomes nicely perfumed, cherry fruit and spices. The palate has medium body, garrigue, spices, floral, berries, with some fine grained but firm tannins on a medium finish. Held up very well at 3 hours and was probably even better. One person held this in glass for the full 3 hours and it really was delightful.

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• 2006 Famille Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape Colombis 89 Points

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

  Medium dark red color. 30 minute decant. Drank 1 glass over an hour plus. 100% Grenache. Somewhat sweet on the nose, but reticent, cedar, underbrush, cherry, later some dry earth. The palate is rather spicy, strong pepper, oak and some heat, cherry fruit, average finish.

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• 2006 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel 90 Points

  USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles

  Dark red color. Decanted for 2 hours. Drank 1 glass over 2 hrs. Nose shows kirsch, cherry, plum, wood, and later some dry earthy quality/ The palate shows sweet cherry fruit, some berry and fair bit of oak and spiciness and alcohol that integrates gradually over 2 hours. Medium full body, medium finish. This seems like it still needs some cellar time to really show well. Not sure it will be improved, but it will be more integrated off the bat. 88 to 89 initially, 90pts after 2 hours in glass plus a 2 hours decant.

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• 2003 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 91 Points

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

  Medium red color. Actually a bit lighter than the '08 Pegau. Slo- O for 90 minutes. Much more herbal on the nose, herb de Provence, garrigue, floral, kirsch, berry. The palate is lighter medium bodied, tart, good acid,kirsch, anise, cherry, berry fruit, spice with a touch of oak on the medium finish. Very nice, not powerful, but fairly elegant. 91+pts.

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• 2000 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve le Clos du Caillou 95 Points

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

  Very dark red color. PNP, drank 1 glass over 90 minutes and had a second pour at 2 hours. This was absolutely wonderful, never losing a beat through the night. Splendid nose with a gorgeous perfume of roses, leather, earthiness, a touch of funk, and deep red fruits. The palate delivers in spades with a silky texture, elegant and balanced, concentrated, dark red and black fruits, black cherry, plum, with leather and garrigue on the long 60+ second finish. Wow, what a honey. My and group WOTN with 9 of 11 1st place votes. 95+ to 96pts.

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• 2001 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

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

  Very dark red color. 2hr decant. Drank 1 glass over 75 minutes plus. This was the biggest disappointment of the night, not that it wasn't good, but it certainly did not live up to expectations. The nose is rather nice with fig, cedar, oak, cherry, slightly stewed in character, damp earth, berry. The palate shows sour cherry, plum, very spicy, very oaky, some heat, full body, medium finish. this seems very young at this point and not well integrated. It improved modestly through the night but didn't show up in the top 3 for anyone. This did not appear to be off in any way. Give this a couple of years.

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• 2009 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères 94 Points

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

  Very dark red color. Decanted for 3 hours. Drank 1 glass over 90 minutes. Oh, this was even better than a couple weeks ago. Some additional air really made a difference. This is remarkably approachable now though. I love the fruit on the nose, wonderful mix of cassis, blackberry ,& blueberry followed by cedar, smoke, dry earth and some spices. The palate really wows with impressive concentration while maintaining its finesse, lovely fruit again, very flavorful, cassis, plum, blueberry and blackberry sleek, earth, and a very long 70+ second finish. Definitely more modern, but absolutely delicious. My and group #2 WOTN. 94(+)pts.

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The WOTN was a no brainer with the 2000 Clos du Caillou running away with it.

#1 WOTN: 2000 Le Clos du Caillou CDP Reserve le CLos du Caillou (3+3+3+3+3+3+3+3+3+2+2=31pts)
#2 WOTN: 2009 Usseglio CDP Reserve des Deux Freres (3+2+2+2+2+2+2+2+1+1=19pts)
#3 WOTN: 2003 Janasse CDP Cuvee Chaupin (3+2+2+1+1+1+1=11pts)