2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Community Tasting Note
stephen locke Does not like this wine:
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 - Well, I've just had another go at this wine.
Coravin from a fresh bottle. Probably benefits that it's at cellar temp - it enhances the freshness.
Lovely nose - so fragrant with ripe fruit and spice. The ripe fruit continues on the palate and is so promising until it crashes and falls apart for me - a wall of harsh alcohol heat, and drying puckering tannins. Loses it's completeness and becomes so disjointed. Feels very medicinal on the finish with a mixture of night nurse and paint stripper coming to mind.
It was more passable with food but 1/2 a glass for analysis was all I could manage tonight.
Followed by Barthod Village Chambolle 2002 - all the elegance and grace that the CDP was missing, but no shortage of drive or power.
Need to hit into some '01 CNDPs to restore my love for the area.
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3 comments have been posted
Do you find this review helpful? Yes - No / Report Issue (3,128 views)
Comment posted by Laz4wine:
8/15/2019 10:17:00 AM - Sounds like bottle was exposed to mistreatment, heat, or some other issue given the numerous current accolades, would attempt to get a refund from your source.
Comment posted by stephen locke:
8/15/2019 12:14:00 PM - Thank you for your comment Laz4wine.
I think it’s more the 2003 southern Rhône disease since all my notes have the same theme. All my 03 CNDP have had these issues - unbalanced alcohol and a wall of harsh tannins. Clos des Papes just has it worse than others for me. I accept I’m probably more sensitive to it than others and possibly looking for it now.
The aromatics of the 03s have always been beautiful for me - so a wine to smell, not taste!
Comment posted by Laz4wine:
8/15/2019 1:54:00 PM - Everyone has a different perspective which makes wine fun, perhaps the heat of the year makes it off kilter for you. Would be interesting to vertical taste blind to verify, think this was top 5 WS 97 pts back in 2006 so will be disappointing if it doesn’t demonstrate that when we start on our 6 pack.