2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Horizontal

Kyle presented a horizontal of some of the best-known red Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines of the 2012 vintage. Paired with beef bourguignon.

2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Horizontal.

• 2012 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 91 Points

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

  100% Grenache.
  
  Ripe raspberry, ripe black currant, violet petals, banana, fermented cabbage, lavender, mediterranean scrub, oliva tapanade, cinnamon, sun-dried tomato, dried chili flakes and tamarind on the nose. About 50/50 between fruit and non-fruit aromas. The palate adds flavors of dried tobacco, dust and dried porcini mushrooms; but keeps most of the interesting non-fruit things from the nose. Overall very mineral driven, though the fruit stays present too. I think this wine is a little abnormal for CdP but I really like it. It feels lighter than I expected in a great way.
  
  Medium + body, medium + acid, medium - tannin. My only negative thing to say about this is that the finish is a tad short. Drink now. This is in a really nice spot and I don't see it benefitting from further aging.

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• 2012 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points

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

  Over ripe strawberries, over ripe black cherries,over ripe raspberries, smoked wood and rose petals on the nose. It smells a little extracted and concentrated, with a high intensity of aromas. The palate adds dark chocolate, allspice, tobacco, Kirschwasser and bitter herbs. This really tastes like chocolate covered cherries more than anything else. Medium + intensity of flavors. This wine feels well made and ticks all the boxes most want in a 11 year old CdP. If anything, it's a tad boring. Driven by fruit and oak, it's missing some of the non-fruit notes I really like in older CdP.
  
  Medium + body with medium acid, medium - tannin and a medium finish. The 15% alcohol is pretty well hidden here. Maybe there's a slight burn when drinking it; but it's quite smooth given the ABV. Can drink now or age 2-5 more years in the bottle.

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• 2012 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 93 Points

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

  Pours a deep red brick/garnet. This definitely looks its age.
  
  Over ripe black cherries, over ripe raspberries, seared wild boar, lard, dried porcini mushrooms, dark chocolate and potpourri on the nose. Someone noted that it smelled like "Grandma's House" and though that means different things to different people, I think it mostly fits. Fresher fruit on the palate - merely ripe rather than over ripe - complimented by cardamom, caraway and more dark chocolate. This wine has some great tertiary notes; but I like how fresh it feels at the same time. The mid palate especially feels light and lifted. Intensity of both flavors and aromas is high.
  
  Full bodied with medium + acid and medium tannin. Complex. Texturally smooth. I think this is at peak right now, and will not benefit from further aging. Great pairing with beef bourgignon.

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• 2012 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points

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

  Ripe blueberries, ripe black currants, ripe dark plums, violet petals, tamarind, salted caramel, fresh cracked black pepper, potpourri, bay leaf, cinnamon, graphite/pencil shavings and black licorice on the nose. A little reductive. This is very dark fruit-centered compared to other CdPs. The palate loses the reductivity but keeps most of the aromas. The blueberries, cinnamon and allspice drive it, while some oak flavors absent from the nose show up as well - vanilla and smoked wood. Intensity of both flavors and aromas is medium +.
  
  Full body with medium + acid and medium - tannins. Nice, long finish. I think this wine is still developing, and while you can drink it now, I think it will benefit from more time in the bottle. Maybe 3 years; but probably more like 5.

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• 2012 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 92 Points

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

  This wine feels like some weird collaboration style of oaked up/Parker-chasing CdP and rustic, funky barnyard CDP. And you know what? I am into it.
  
  Ripe blueberries, ripe raspberrries, kirschwasser, mediterranean scrub, fermented cabbage, barnyard and maybe a hint of VA on the nose. It smells like there MIGHT be brett on this; but it's not intense enough to make me dislike it. Everything is integrated really well. Jammier on the palate where the fruits change into their over-ripe versions. Flavors of dried chili powder, ash, dust and smoke are added. There's a very light funk in the background of the palate, but it doesn't detract from any of the delicious flavors. Intensity of aromas is high, intensity of flavors is medium +.
  
  Full body with medium + acid and medium + tannin. Nice lingering medium + finish too. This is a really fun wine to drink right now; but I feel it will improve with 2 more years or so in the bottle. It may mellow out and lose the funk.

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Great look back at the 2012 vintage in CdP. A really diverse range of blends and winemaking styles. Every wine was still alive; though some were more alive than others. The 2012 Vieux Telegraph was the wine of the night for me.