Inaugural Sanger Wine Challenge: Chateauneuf du Papes (Blind Tasting)

Chez Sangers
Tasted Saturday, March 29, 2014 by Rollerball with 574 views

Introduction

In the warmth of Stephen & Alison's generous hospitality, five couples tasted three whites over hors d'oeuvres, seven Southern Rhones over dinner of perfectly roasted tenderloin and breadcrumbed brussel sprouts, and then two white dessert wines with homemade rhubarb pie and homemade buttermilk icecream. The Rhones were poured blind and sequentially during the seated dinner. It was the perfect mix of attention on the wines, conversation, and laughter. The food was stellar top to bottom too.

Flight 1 (3 Notes)

Flight 2 - Chateauneuf du Papes Blind (7 Notes)

Wrapped in aluminum foil and poured sequentially. Much discussion followed by voting first through third favorite (each first place vote 3 points, each second 2 points, each third 1 point).
Disappointing that the '98 Mordoree Reine des Bois was corked.

  • 2007 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée La Cote Ronde 94 Points

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

    Bright black raspberry and roasted meat bouquet. A mixed modern style with crowd-pleasing raspberry cream and a clarity and building energy that really accelerates into the more traditional finish. My third place, the party's third place, several first place votes.

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  • 1998 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois Flawed

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

    Corked #$@&!!

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  • 2004 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 94 Points

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

    Such a contrast to the '99, this '04 Pegau has a clean modern style with a mild captivating spice-box bouquet. A beautiful wine with citrus and garrigue. Is Pegau finding a sweet spot or are they losing some character? I like the direction. My second place wine tonight.

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  • 2007 Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf-du-Pape 95 Points

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

    A wine of tantalizing restraint and my wotn! A dreamy bouquet leads to a just-right-bodied wine with remarkable persistence and clarity, this offers deliciously pleasurable symmetry between its melted black licorice, dark red fruits, garrigue, minerals, and flowers. My first place, party's second. I'll have to try their high-end Val de Dieu bottling.

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  • 2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

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

    Complex and enticing bouquet but a heavy handed palate.

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  • 2009 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape A la Gloire de mon Grand-Père 93 Points

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

    An even-keeled excitement. A beautiful, balanced wine that showed more tannic structure than any of the others tonight. Also the youngest wine poured. My fourth place, this took first in the overall voting.

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  • 2010 Tensley Syrah Santa Barbara County 87 Points

    USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Barbara County

    Intended as a ringer in a 7-bottle Chateauneuf du Pape tasting, the crowd immediately pegged it as a CA syrah. We were pleased, considering how humbling these blind tastings can be. Juicy, tasty, and intense but also just too too much, at least in light of its peers tonight.

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Flight 3 (2 Notes)

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