32 Chateauneuf du Papes tasted, mainly '05 - inc'g Janasse, Mordoree, Usseglio

Rebecca, Ed and Alan

This was an in-store featuring a number of Chateauneufs from the ’05 vintage, with some ‘04s and ‘03s (and a couple of ‘01s) for comparison. In all 32 Chateauneufs, including one Chateauneuf Blanc. In addition, there was one Cotes du Rhone (a surprisingly good one, from Clos de Caillou). The 2005s, for the most part, were stunning. The 2005 Janasse Chaupin was gorgeous, my WOTN. The 2005 Mordorée Reine de la Bois was close behind it. The 2005 Vieux Donjon was the best I’ve ever had, and the two 2005 Bosquets were probably the best QPR of the tasting. Also great were the ’05 Usseglio “Cuvée de mon Aieul” and Tardieu Laurent “Cuvée Spéciale.” Many of the 2004s were also good. The 2004 Beaucastel, however, was quite disappointing. I thought it was perhaps a faulty bottle, but when a second bottle was poured, the result was much the same. The following TNs are in alphabetical order, for ease of reference.

• 2004 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 91 Points

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

  Chateauneuf tasting at Beltramo's: 1st bottle: peppery vanilla and tar nose with reduction; funky tight peppery plum palate; medium-plus finish 90+ pts.
  2nd bottle: similar nose, but more leather, tart fruit and plum on palate; medium-plus finish 91 pts.

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• 2004 Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réserve 92 Points

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

  Nice dried cherry and incense nose; tasty, medium bodied, balanced brambly red fruit and sage with depth, integrated oak; medium finish 92+ pts. (66% Grenache, 23% Mourvedre, 9% Cinsault, 8% Syrah)

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• 2004 Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Fiancée 93 Points

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

  Roasted fruit, tar and pepper nose; very tasty, concentrated, with noticeable Syrah element of peppery black fruit; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (50% old vine Grenache, 50% Syrah)

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Bosquet table

• 2005 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Tradition 92 Points

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

  Tight nose; tasty herbal, sage and lavender palate; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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• 2005 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape A la Gloire de mon Grand-Père 94 Points

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

  Focused brambly, cherry nose; big, ripe but balanced cherry, kirsch and black fruit palate with brambly notes; medium-plus finish 94 pts.

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• 2003 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire 93 Points

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

  Medium red color with clear meniscus; cherries, kirsch, roses and port on nose; big dried cherry, kirsch, and brambly pepper with sweet tannins, but a little disjointed; long, rather hot finish 93+ pts.

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• 2005 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 92 Points

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

  Nice melon and peach nose; tasty, minerally white peach and melon palate; medium finish 92+ pts. (80% Roussanne, 10% Clairette, 10% Grenache Blanc)

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• 2004 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape 93 Points

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

  Floral, ripe strawberry and cherry nose; tasty, light medium bodied, sweet cherry and red fruit with bramble flavors, drinking pretty well now; medium finish 93 pts.

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• 2005 Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes 91 Points

  France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône

  Vaguely black fruit and plum nose; ripe plum, black fruit and cherry palate with depth, best one of these I’ve ever tried; medium finish 91+ pts.

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• 2004 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Caillou 92 Points

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

  Intriguing cassis, sandalwood and cherry nose; tasty, ripe cherry, Kirsch, red fruit, integrated oak; medium-plus finish 92+ pts.

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• 2004 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Caillou Les Quartz 93 Points

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

  Bright dark cherry color; focused smoky red fruit nose; tasty ripe cherry and red fruit palate, lighter bodied than others, with spice and pepper edges; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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• 2005 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Unique 90 Points

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

  Bright cherry red color; oaky, tart red fruit nose; tart red fruit with too much spicy oak, hint of white pepper, a little hot; medium-plus finish finish 90+ pts.

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• 2004 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina 94 Points

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

  Dark red color; kirsch and ripe cherry nose; very tasty, ripe plum, black fruit, with epper and depth; medium-plus finish 94 pts. (60% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre)

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• 2004 Famille Isabel Ferrando Châteauneuf-du-Pape Colombis 93 Points

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

  Pepper, horseradish and beef nose; tasty, focused, tart cherry and black fruit with tar and pepper, much like a mature Vieux Telegraphe; medium finish 93 pts. (98% Grenache, 2% Mourvedre; first time distributed in California)

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• 2005 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape 90 Points

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

  Peppery black fruit and plum nose; brambly ripe black fruit and pepper, but lacks acidity; medium finish 90+ pts.

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• 2005 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines 91 Points

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

  Brambly black fruit nose; tight, peppery black fruit and tar, a little hot; medium-plus finish 91+ pts.

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world's biggest decanter (for '05 Janasse Chaupin)

• 2005 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 96 Points

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

  Nice cherry, plum and pepper nose; very tasty ripe cherry, berry, with good sap, depth, and sage notes; long finish 96+ pts.

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• 2004 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 95 Points

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

  Cherry, white pepper nose; ripe cherry, mineral, pepper, animale palate; medium-plus finish 95 pts.

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• 2003 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 94 Points

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

  Beautiful red color; big, plum, raspberry and mulberry nose; very tasty, hedonistic palate of kirsch and sweet berry with sweet tannins; medium-plus finish 94+ pts.

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• 2005 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape 94 Points

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

  Tight peppery nose; ripe cherry and very peppery, juicy palate; medium-plus finish 94 pts.

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• 2004 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois 93 Points

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

  Rich cordial of boysenberry, black cherry and vanilla oak on nose; very tasty berry, black fruit, palate with herbal edges, but big and a little hot; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. (70% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault, 5% Counoise, 5% Syrah, 5% Vaccarese)

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• 2005 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois 95 Points

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

  Graphite, lavender and boysenberry nose; gorgeous, sexy, complex palate of lavender, pepper, white pepper; long finish 95+ pts.

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• 2005 Domaine Olivier Hillaire Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Petits Pieds d'Armand 93 Points

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

  Restrained but intriguing berry and herbal nose; tasty, ripe, concentrated but balanced red fruit, cherry, black fruit palate with herbal notes; medium finish 93+ pts.

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• 2005 Domaine Paul Autard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée La Cote Ronde 91 Points

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

  Narrow plummy nose; narrow palate of roasted fruit, sweet tannins and light pepper edges; medium finish 91+ pts.

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• 2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape 92 Points

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

  Brambly red fruit nose; tasty, ripe cherry and berry palate, tight yet though; medium-plus finish 92 pts.

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• 2004 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul 93 Points

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

  Nice brambly, herbal, sage nose; rich, tart, cherry and berry palate with complexity and herbal notes; a little hot though on medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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• 2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul 94 Points

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

  Dark cherry red color; big herbal, peppery and sage nose; delicious, tight but rich cherry, berry and plum palate with herbal notes; long finish 94+ pts.

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• 2003 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige 89 Points

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

  Lovely plum and dried cherry nose; tart cherry palate with big tannins 89 pts. (2/3s Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvedre)

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• 2001 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige 91 Points

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

  Tastier, more resolved tannins than the ‘03, ripe cherry, black fruit, berry, with herbal notes; medium finish 91+ pts.

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• 2005 Tardieu-Laurent Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale 93 Points

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

  Sexy nose of kirsch and herbs; tasty complex palate of ripe cherry, dried cherry, tart plum and white pepper; medium-plus finish 93+ pts.

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