September 9, 2023 - Bought on release.
A fantastic nose
Blackberries, garrigue, iron, bouillon, and leather. It's expansive on the palate. A terrific wine of contrasts that add to the whole. Sapid and deep yet supple. Intense yet calm. Savory and fruit. Effortlessly powerful, never heavy. It grows with air time with more Provencal herbal, savory and meaty notes adding to the dark fruits. A complete wine. Drinking at peak and I doubt it will improve from here, not that I could ask much more of this fantastic wine. Brilliant. 97
Great with a fatty burger with mushrooms and pimento cheese.
August 17, 2023 - Wonderful. More robust than the 2000 and will last longer. Wonderful detail.
January 29, 2023 - Dark red, thin edge of orange. Sweet cherry nose. Beautifully flavored of fruit and spice. Structured with very fine tannin. Long finish of pure fruit. Magical.
January 11, 2023 - Lush, soft, and supple, the wine offers sweet, pure kirsch, herbs, and peppery spices with a unique textural experience at every twist, turn, sniff and sip. No decanting is needed here. Just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2023-2035.
June 26, 2022 - Summer Mondo Event $200+ (Roswell, GA): See through crimson with orange rim; celery seed, incense, sour cherry, balsamic, not tannic, botrytis?, dried roses, sweet liqueured fruit yet somewhat demure, root vegetables, mushroom, tart lifted finish; '01 Fonsalette CdP?; after reveal this is so traditional yet elegant Grenache in the Rayas style, Celestins can start out so beefy and its transformation into something like this is pretty profound when it's at its fighting weight; in a great spot.
January 24, 2022 - Excellent. Not quite the experience the 2000 was a year go (surprisingly). Wonderful nose, constantly evolving and a myriad of notes. Lighter on the palate than other vintages I have had. Nice finish. This has continual improvement ahead.
December 29, 2021 - This is so much more than just a wine to me. This is a legendary bottle from one of the strongest vintages in the Southern Rhône. Made by the legend himself. I was lucky enough to pay him a visit in 2012, tasting several vintages from barrel.
This is a rustic wine in the very best sense of the word. There are dried flowers and lavender, spice, currents and meaty notes. Lovely integrated tannins and an impeccable balance. I have one bottle left. I will drink it when the wine turns 30, because although incredibly good right now, this has the balance to age for another decade.
November 6, 2021 - Steve Sigmond's 50th Birthday (Minneapolis, MN): Dark, brooding, smouldering intensity, Steve suggesting a certain soy character. And certainly this had a savory, umami personality that kept gaining weight and intensity as the night went on. Powerful, brooding, fascinating wine.
October 22, 2021 - The other Chateauneuf du Pape I never get to taste often enough, (after Rayas) this is already showing just great. Earthy, spicy, barnyard accented ripe, kirsch, pepper, and cherry notes come along with an array of spices. More elegantly textured on the palate than most vintages of Celestins and cleaner on the nose and palate as well, this is a treat for the senses that will continue to age and evolve for at least another 10-15 or 20 years, depending on the provenance.
June 22, 2021 - Back in NYC (Francie): Still quite youthful so I think we may need to wait on ours some more. This was bright and fruity and powerful and yet there is an undercurrent of elegance to it as well.