France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped and poured Tasted blind: Served 1st out of 12
NOSE: sweet bouqet of garrigue, light cherries and raspberries; hint of leather and warm vegetation, as well. I loved the bouquet of this wine ... I held half of this pour until halfway through the tasting (maybe an hour and a half later), at which time the bouquet had died-off considerably.
BODY: ruby core with slight orangeing at the edges; color is of medium depth; medium-full bodied; considerable sediment present.
TASTE: helllloo CdP!...what a delightful way to start an extraordinary evening of fine wine! Flavors of warm loganberry, sandalwood spice, and funk. The finish was stunningly long at 70+ seconds; The wine did close-up after an hour and a half in the glass, but it's very well-balanced and beautifully structured. Likely entering it's prime right now. This was the better of two bottles served in this tasting. My WOTN.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: Decanted for 2.5 hours Tasted blind: Served 2nd out of 12
NOSE: rich dark red fruits provide the framework for ample spice and pepper notes; a secondary hint of Italian herbs brought-up the finish of this still-tight bouqet.
BODY: garnet color of medium depth; medium-full bodied; superfine particulate matter was suspended in the wine.
TASTE: more acidic than the '98 Clos des Papes; serious tobacco and dark raspberry flavors, as well as a complex earthy element; medium-long finish; well-balanced. A beautiful wine that still hasn't hit its peak yet. I would hold for a few more years, or give a long decant if drinking now. This easily beat-out its '01 and '05 brethren which were also served blind at this tasting. Tied for my #3 WOTN.
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours. Tasted blind: served 3rd out of 12
NOSE: fruit-forward aromas: dark raspberry, sweet-smelling, and a bit floral; slight notes of citrus and garrigue. The bouqet on this CA ringer was an indictment of its origin. This bottle was lacking the leather and barnyard notes of past bottles.
BODY: garnet color of great depth; full bodied; clear (although a bit of superfine particulate matter was decanted-off beforehand)
TASTE: a big wine with only a hint of funk; not as complex as the '00 Vieux Telegraphe or the '98 Clos des Papes, which preceded it, but this held its own. Full & seamless palate; this needs some time to stretch-out. Very good, but not fooling anyone at the table ... clearly CA. Other bottles have shown better ... still, this was very nice.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours. Tasted blind: served 4th out of 12.
NOSE: gorgeous nose, albeit not delicate ... boysenberry jam, black pepper, tar, and a slight citrus note jumped from the glass straight to my brain's pleasure center.
BODY: very dark black-garnet color of great depth; full bodied; clear (although a little superfine particulate matter was decanted-off before the event)
TASTE: tannic right now, but impeccably well-balanced; dark red fruits and leather dominate; medium-long finish ... the attack on the palate is assertive and fully-enveloping, but it runs away nearly as hard as it ran in. Needs time; will be a blockbuster a decade from now. Tied for my #3 WOTN.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 2.5 hours Tasted blind: served 5th out of 12
NOSE: classic CdP! barnyard, funk, spice, dark loganberry ... still youthful bouquet.
BODY: dark garnet color; medium-full bodied; clear.
TASTE: Unbelievable how youthful this wine still is: some leather, dark raspberry, garrigue; ample spice and a hint of earth. This baby is packed!! 40-45 second finish...this is only going to get better. I would love to see how this is going 10 years from now. Not for the faint-hearted ... it nearly made mine stop! My #2 WOTN.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped and poured Tasted blind: served 6th out of 12 (1st bottle was another of the same)
NOSE: higher-toned than the wines preceding it (another '98 Clos des Papes; '00 V.T.; '05 Tablas Esprit; '05 Boislauzon Quet; and '00 Pegau Reservee); a bit alcoholic, but the beautiful spices, sandalwood and warm kirsch gave me a strong suspicion this was our 2nd '98 Clos des Papes of the evening.
BODY: ruby core with slight orangeing at the edges; color is of medium depth; medium-full bodied; sediment present.
TASTE: big time spice!! cigarbox city! smooth, full palate; secondary funk. Not as well-structured as the first bottle we had of this earlier in this tasting...still, very good and better than most.
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Decanted before the event Tasted blind: served 7th out of 12
NOSE: raspberry; slight minerality; black cherries.
BODY: ruby color of moderate depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: sweet; raspberry jam ... very jammy; alcoholic; not complex. John got me good when this was "revealed" as the '05 Vieux Donjon CdP ... I was shocked beyond shocked at how the Vieux Donjon had apparently undergone a sex change in the past year ... I was relieved beyond relieved when he informed us that he had snuck this puppy into the CdP bottle to better hide it among our CdP lineup. I initially wasn't impressed with it, as a CdP ... but now knowing it to be an Australian Grenache I must say it's better than most, if not all, others I've had of the same type and origin. Two members of the tasting called this as Australian before any hint of the truth was spoken: congratulations, Matt & Ashley!
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tasted blind: Served 8th out of 12
NOSE: "dark smelling" -- a bit smoky, and extremely tight.
BODY: ruby color of medium-great depth; clear; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: pronounced minerality; raspberry; tannic and a bit hot; a secondary hint of cigarbox suggests complexity further down the road; extremely tight. Everyone, myself included, was shocked when the bag was pulled on this one. This wine didn't impress anyone tonight, and many don't believe it has a bright future. I felt as if I detected some extremely shy complexity that is going to need years in the cellar to gain confidence ... still, WS's "95" is very confusing. Although a "good" wine, this may have been the consensus disappointment of the evening. Do not drink these now ... hold for at least 10 years ... and pray.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours Tasted blind (although, by this point in time, with our progessive reveals, it would be a mighty stretch to call this "blind"): Served 10th out of 12
NOSE: super-powered minerality is supported by raspberry, strawberry, and a light sage note. Surprisingly fresh.
BODY: garnet color of medium-great depth; medium-full bodied; clear (although some sediment was decanted-off before the event)
TASTE: cigarbox, wet cement; a bit alcoholic; tight fruits; short on the palate. This puppy still needs some time. Hold for at least 5 more years ... this will improve.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours Tasted "blind" (we all knew what this was by the time we got to it): served 11th out of 12
NOSE: raspberry, a slight citrus note; some light Italian herbs and a bit raisiny. Still very tight.
BODY: garnet color of medium-great depth; medium-full bodied; clear (although a couple chunks of sediment and a bit of superfine particulate matter were decanted-off before the event)
TASTE: concentrated red fruits; cigar; smoked meat; medium-length finish. The interesting smoked meat note saved this from a sub-90 score tonight. Not closed-down, per se, but definitely holding-back right now. It's '98 older-brother kicked its butt at this tasting. I suspect this wine will someday be magical, but it's truly a waste to drink these now. Hold for 10+ years.
NOSE: new rubber tires ... super-petrol!; asian pear; toast.
BODY: pale yellow color; clear; medium-full bodied ... viscous without being syrupy.
TASTE: sweet, but not cloying; lemon zest, peach, and lime; medium-short finish. I liked this, and it was a wonderful way to cap an evening of fantastic wine. An incredible steal at $23 ... beep, beep, beep ... that's the sound of the truck backing up.
1998 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped and poured
Tasted blind: Served 1st out of 12
NOSE: sweet bouqet of garrigue, light cherries and raspberries; hint of leather and warm vegetation, as well. I loved the bouquet of this wine ... I held half of this pour until halfway through the tasting (maybe an hour and a half later), at which time the bouquet had died-off considerably.
BODY: ruby core with slight orangeing at the edges; color is of medium depth; medium-full bodied; considerable sediment present.
TASTE: helllloo CdP!...what a delightful way to start an extraordinary evening of fine wine! Flavors of warm loganberry, sandalwood spice, and funk. The finish was stunningly long at 70+ seconds; The wine did close-up after an hour and a half in the glass, but it's very well-balanced and beautifully structured. Likely entering it's prime right now. This was the better of two bottles served in this tasting. My WOTN.
B: 50, 5, 12, 18, 9 = 94
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2000 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: Decanted for 2.5 hours
Tasted blind: Served 2nd out of 12
NOSE: rich dark red fruits provide the framework for ample spice and pepper notes; a secondary hint of Italian herbs brought-up the finish of this still-tight bouqet.
BODY: garnet color of medium depth; medium-full bodied; superfine particulate matter was suspended in the wine.
TASTE: more acidic than the '98 Clos des Papes; serious tobacco and dark raspberry flavors, as well as a complex earthy element; medium-long finish; well-balanced. A beautiful wine that still hasn't hit its peak yet. I would hold for a few more years, or give a long decant if drinking now. This easily beat-out its '01 and '05 brethren which were also served blind at this tasting. Tied for my #3 WOTN.
B: 50, 5, 12, 17, 8 = 92
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2005 Tablas Creek Esprit de Beaucastel 91 Points
USA, California, Central Coast, Paso Robles
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours.
Tasted blind: served 3rd out of 12
NOSE: fruit-forward aromas: dark raspberry, sweet-smelling, and a bit floral; slight notes of citrus and garrigue. The bouqet on this CA ringer was an indictment of its origin. This bottle was lacking the leather and barnyard notes of past bottles.
BODY: garnet color of great depth; full bodied; clear (although a bit of superfine particulate matter was decanted-off beforehand)
TASTE: a big wine with only a hint of funk; not as complex as the '00 Vieux Telegraphe or the '98 Clos des Papes, which preceded it, but this held its own. Full & seamless palate; this needs some time to stretch-out. Very good, but not fooling anyone at the table ... clearly CA. Other bottles have shown better ... still, this was very nice.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2005 Mas de Boislauzon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée du Quet 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours.
Tasted blind: served 4th out of 12.
NOSE: gorgeous nose, albeit not delicate ... boysenberry jam, black pepper, tar, and a slight citrus note jumped from the glass straight to my brain's pleasure center.
BODY: very dark black-garnet color of great depth; full bodied; clear (although a little superfine particulate matter was decanted-off before the event)
TASTE: tannic right now, but impeccably well-balanced; dark red fruits and leather dominate; medium-long finish ... the attack on the palate is assertive and fully-enveloping, but it runs away nearly as hard as it ran in. Needs time; will be a blockbuster a decade from now. Tied for my #3 WOTN.
B: 50, 5, 13, 16, 8 = 92
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 93 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 2.5 hours
Tasted blind: served 5th out of 12
NOSE: classic CdP! barnyard, funk, spice, dark loganberry ... still youthful bouquet.
BODY: dark garnet color; medium-full bodied; clear.
TASTE: Unbelievable how youthful this wine still is: some leather, dark raspberry, garrigue; ample spice and a hint of earth. This baby is packed!! 40-45 second finish...this is only going to get better. I would love to see how this is going 10 years from now. Not for the faint-hearted ... it nearly made mine stop! My #2 WOTN.
B: 50, 5, 13, 17, 8 = 93
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
1998 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped and poured
Tasted blind: served 6th out of 12 (1st bottle was another of the same)
NOSE: higher-toned than the wines preceding it (another '98 Clos des Papes; '00 V.T.; '05 Tablas Esprit; '05 Boislauzon Quet; and '00 Pegau Reservee); a bit alcoholic, but the beautiful spices, sandalwood and warm kirsch gave me a strong suspicion this was our 2nd '98 Clos des Papes of the evening.
BODY: ruby core with slight orangeing at the edges; color is of medium depth; medium-full bodied; sediment present.
TASTE: big time spice!! cigarbox city! smooth, full palate; secondary funk. Not as well-structured as the first bottle we had of this earlier in this tasting...still, very good and better than most.
B: 50, 5, 12, 17, 8 = 92
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2006 R Wines Grenache Chateau Chateau Magic Window 89 Points
Australia, South Australia, Barossa, Barossa Valley
Decanted before the event
Tasted blind: served 7th out of 12
NOSE: raspberry; slight minerality; black cherries.
BODY: ruby color of moderate depth; medium bodied.
TASTE: sweet; raspberry jam ... very jammy; alcoholic; not complex. John got me good when this was "revealed" as the '05 Vieux Donjon CdP ... I was shocked beyond shocked at how the Vieux Donjon had apparently undergone a sex change in the past year ... I was relieved beyond relieved when he informed us that he had snuck this puppy into the CdP bottle to better hide it among our CdP lineup. I initially wasn't impressed with it, as a CdP ... but now knowing it to be an Australian Grenache I must say it's better than most, if not all, others I've had of the same type and origin. Two members of the tasting called this as Australian before any hint of the truth was spoken: congratulations, Matt & Ashley!
B: 50, 5, 11, 16, 7 = 89
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 88 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Tasted blind: Served 8th out of 12
NOSE: "dark smelling" -- a bit smoky, and extremely tight.
BODY: ruby color of medium-great depth; clear; medium-full bodied.
TASTE: pronounced minerality; raspberry; tannic and a bit hot; a secondary hint of cigarbox suggests complexity further down the road; extremely tight. Everyone, myself included, was shocked when the bag was pulled on this one. This wine didn't impress anyone tonight, and many don't believe it has a bright future. I felt as if I detected some extremely shy complexity that is going to need years in the cellar to gain confidence ... still, WS's "95" is very confusing. Although a "good" wine, this may have been the consensus disappointment of the evening. Do not drink these now ... hold for at least 10 years ... and pray.
B: 50, 5, 11, 15, 7 = 88
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2003 Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Signature 88 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Popped and poured
Tasted blind: Served 9th out of 12
NOSE: strawberry and raspberry aromas off-set by a pretty floral note (is this *really* an '03?!?); a bit musty.
BODY: ruby color of medium-great depth; clear; (forgot to note weight of wine)
TASTE: earthy; smoke and red fruits; cigar; tannic and a bit alcoholic.
B: 50, 5, 11, 15, 7 = 88
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2001 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 89 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours
Tasted blind (although, by this point in time, with our progessive reveals, it would be a mighty stretch to call this "blind"): Served 10th out of 12
NOSE: super-powered minerality is supported by raspberry, strawberry, and a light sage note. Surprisingly fresh.
BODY: garnet color of medium-great depth; medium-full bodied; clear (although some sediment was decanted-off before the event)
TASTE: cigarbox, wet cement; a bit alcoholic; tight fruits; short on the palate. This puppy still needs some time. Hold for at least 5 more years ... this will improve.
B: 50, 5, 12, 15, 7 = 89
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2005 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Double-decanted before the event: decanted for 5 hours
Tasted "blind" (we all knew what this was by the time we got to it): served 11th out of 12
NOSE: raspberry, a slight citrus note; some light Italian herbs and a bit raisiny. Still very tight.
BODY: garnet color of medium-great depth; medium-full bodied; clear (although a couple chunks of sediment and a bit of superfine particulate matter were decanted-off before the event)
TASTE: concentrated red fruits; cigar; smoked meat; medium-length finish. The interesting smoked meat note saved this from a sub-90 score tonight. Not closed-down, per se, but definitely holding-back right now. It's '98 older-brother kicked its butt at this tasting. I suspect this wine will someday be magical, but it's truly a waste to drink these now. Hold for 10+ years.
B: 50, 5, 11, 17, 8 = 91
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No
2002 Joh. Jos. Prüm Wehlener Sonnenuhr Riesling Spätlese 91 Points
Germany, Mosel Saar Ruwer
Tasted non-blind: served 12th out of 12
NOSE: new rubber tires ... super-petrol!; asian pear; toast.
BODY: pale yellow color; clear; medium-full bodied ... viscous without being syrupy.
TASTE: sweet, but not cloying; lemon zest, peach, and lime; medium-short finish. I liked this, and it was a wonderful way to cap an evening of fantastic wine. An incredible steal at $23 ... beep, beep, beep ... that's the sound of the truck backing up.
B: 50, 5, 12, 16, 8 = 91
Post a Comment / Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No