Community Tasting Note
-
Rote Kappelle Likes this wine: 91 points
September 11, 2021 - Under screw cap, note made about an hour after opening, no decant, using Cellar Tracker rating system I score this as excellent.
Colour is deep, brick red but more towards the red end of the spectrum.
Nose is speaking of Grenache component - warm, hint of confectionary (a character I dislike, but here it is in balance), a touch of strawberry. There are other sweet dark fruits in the mix and I wonder if there is some Mourvedre, as I feel I detect some blueberry. The oak is well integrated and is more detectable on the palate, by texture than vanilla etc.
Palate is lovely, very intense and still very much alive. Finish is extremely long. This is the better wine, technically, than his Cabernet, which I opened at the same time. However, I like the Cab a little more - the subjective element and maybe a case of less is more? However, I can't agree with the reviewer who described this as port. It is rich and ripe and exuberant, but so are most Chateauneuf du Papes. Don't come to it if you don't like bold, rich wines. If you a Southern Rhone drinker, think Vieux Telegraph or Clos St Jean in style. However, this is wine is 'in the style of', but I don't think you would call it as Southern Rhone in a blind tasting, unless perhaps it was a very hot year, like 2003. This wine has better acid than many Southern Rhones from 2003, by the way.
This wine needs strong foods. It is very ready to drink, but I have little doubt it will hold for many more years. I don't see any benefits to be gained in cellaring - it is very approachable and in a perfect window for drinking. I enjoyed this. You need to be in the mood for a big wine, but if you are, well, it puts a smile on the dial.1 person found this helpful 1,301 views