Dark, bright, primary violet red. Pure, ripe red raspberries and subtler charred wood on the nose. Lively palate feel thanks to healthy acidity. Not a lot here to satisfy an old world syrah fix, but this does show a nice coupling of fruit-driven style with restrained ripeness.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Medium red with light bricking. Totally 2000 in personality, with almost aggressive surmaturite and rich headiness, as well as a gushing but not cloying sweetness to the palate. Whoreish stuff, but not over-the-top.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Very dark red. While not really closed, this shows quite monolithic and personality-less now, coming across as a dense, extracted, and almost embryonic Chateauneuf that should be quite slow to unfold.
France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Light garnet. By far the most elegant and Burgundian of this trio of Chateauneufs, and also the horsey-est. Great expressiveness of horse stable and wet earth notes. There's an impression of full ripeness in the mouth, although the acidity is present in sufficient quantities to quash any real sense of sweetness. Lengthy finish softly bitten by tannin.
France, Loire Valley, Anjou-Saumur, Quarts de Chaume Grand Cru
Light gold. Heavenly Chaume fruit aromas that aren't as botrytis-influenced as I expected. Exquisite balance of sugar and acid; in fact, it's virtually impossible to find the vintage character here.
2002 Finca Sandoval Manchuela
Spain, Castilla-La Mancha, Manchuela
Dark, bright, primary violet red. Pure, ripe red raspberries and subtler charred wood on the nose. Lively palate feel thanks to healthy acidity. Not a lot here to satisfy an old world syrah fix, but this does show a nice coupling of fruit-driven style with restrained ripeness.
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