Nice ruby color at 21 years old. Blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and currants in the nose with hints of leather, licorice, floral and spice. Raspberries, plums, chocolate, and espresso in the flavor. Full bodied, very well balanced, complex and a very long finish. An elegant wine and delicious.
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Perfectly stored since release without travelling. Ruby to vermilion red without orange hue in thin layers. Cork soaked to 10%. No decant. No extended airation from the bottle. From the start a deep and intense yet focused and nuanced nose with cherries, different dried herbs, blackberries, blood and asian spices. On the palate light on its feet, impressive not because of its power, but elegance and subtlety. Given some previous notes, let me clarify: Of course totally dry with exception of the normal glycerin sweetness that every wine with 14% alc. has; no oxidative notes at all. Nevertheles quite long with medium intensity ending on fruit and blood, iron notes. The tannins have melted to a large extent and there is enough acidity to keep this fresh and balanced. With more air from the glass it shows some more tannins left. Outstanding to extraordinary bottle. 5/14/19/9+. Of course this is fully developed. Difficult to tell, how long this could last, but not optimal stored or bottle that travelled should be drunk up. A sad thing, that there are so many damaged bottles out there. Given this bottle, I would assume, that it could hold through for 5 or more years.
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Flickinger Tasting at The Casino (Chicago, IL): Likely originally more dessert wine than anything, the ravages of time have not been kind. This is a mummified husk of fruit now, with bitter tannins and still plenty of unpolymerized sugars still floating around. Not worth drinking, though there was certainly a degree of morbid curiosity here to see where Parker's vaunted favourites have ended up.
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Stunning. Fully mature. Lighter in colour. Beef blood, barnyard, sweet Grenache and sauvage Mourvèdre. This wine is in great harmony, just singing, and drinking a point, I think. I really don't get all the hate, that is hitting this domaine recently, tonight this was world class.
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This bottle has survived much better than the other. Burgundy red color. Rich jammy fruits on the nose. Strawberry jam, alittle cough syrup smell but I didn't find that it was a negative trait. Caramel and Chocolate. Really interesting drinking a CdP with this amount of age. Also had it in comparison with the 2019 which made it even more interesting. Don't age this any more though, it's at peak and will not get better.
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In the perfect spot. The tertiary flavors and “funk” of an older wine but still fruit presence and depth of flavors. No hurry but in the next two years or so.
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Syrah's of the World Blind Tasting; 8/5/2023-8/6/2023: First time trying a CdP with this much age, 20yo Clos des Papes and boy what it something! Even tho it was left standing for a while it was a bit cloudy but otherwise a beautiful color of dark purplish red. The nose was light but present, smoked plum and dried strawberries. On the palate it was rich but not overripe. Plum, blackberry and black cherries along with cassis liquor and a long finish. This is an amazing wine by an amazing producer and I can't wait to try more from them!
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This one has finally come together. Delicious. Darker spectrum of fruit but much better focus on the palate now. I don't sense the alcohol but it is substantial. That is saying something about the balance here. Wonderful finish. Long life ahead of this beauty. Glad it finally came around.
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Peta (plus others) big birthday celebration (Peta & Loic's place, Croydon(ish)): "Served blind. Baked red fruits sweet spice, a little alcohol prickle, baked earth, garrigue. Juicy and slight sour, medium plus intensity acidity, alcohol warmth, red hued fruits, a little tannic burr, lacks a bit of 'stuffing'. Chateauneuf du Pape Grenache dominant from a, ahem, 'challenging' vintage"
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Needed a few hours of air. Enjoyable, definitely plenty of tertiary notes on the nose together with the usual garrigue, pepper and acidity with some old leather starting to creep in.
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A blend Grenache (60%), Mourvèdre (20%) and Syrah (15%); the remaining 5% rounded out by a combination of Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin and Vaccarèse. The fruit gets fully destemmed before the spontaneous fermentation. Aged in old, neutral oak foudres up to 18 months, depending on the vintage. Bottled unfiltered. 14,5% alcohol.
Luminous, translucent and relatively pale brownish-red color. The nose feels old, somewhat oxidative and a bit funky with aromas of smoke, tobacco and bretty funk, some oxidative notes of beef jerky, a little bit of nutty rancio, light pungent aldehydic notes, a hint of dried figs, a rustic touch of horse stables and a whiff of balsamic VA. The wine feels evolved, juicy and somewhat oxidative on the palate with a full body and slightly sweet-toned tertiary flavors of beef jerky and salty soy sauce, some raisiny tones, a little bit of aldehydic rancio, light bretty notes of leathery funk and barnyard, sweet fruity hints of soft strawberries and dried figs and a touch of licorice root. The medium acidity and gently grippy medium-minus tannins bring some firmness to the mouthfeel, but not much. The finish is rich, sweet-toned and somewhat oxidative with gently grippy tannins and moderately long flavors of raisiny dark fruit, some tangy notes of rancio, a little bit of bretty barnyard, light sweet notes of prunes and dried dates, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of meaty umami.
This was a still somewhat enjoyable vintage of Clos des Papes but there's no around the fact that this vintage is already getting past its peak. The fruit department is not only getting tired and oxidative, but also a bit too dull and sweet with all the raisiny and pruney flavors that take a toll on the overall drinkability. I did enjoy the somewhat funky brett character that added a nice little touch of rustic complexity to the wine - I think the wine might've been more straightforward and less interesting without the funky overtones. All in all, this challenging vintage managed to offer some enjoyment, but I feel the wine must've been in a better shape some 5-10 years ago. No point in aging this wine any further - now it is high time to drink up any remaining bottles.
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Caitlin & Clare goodbye celebration: Always a controversial and somewhat problematic wine, this was a very nice example. Ganache and white pepper. Deeply concentrated cherry fruit, surprisingly tannic, nothing overripe, just peppery and intense, focused. Much more fresh than I might expect from some past experiences.
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2 hour double decant. Smooth and delicious! One of my favorite CDPs! Wasn't quite sure what to expect...could be great...could be hot/alcoholic....well, it was not alcoholic at all and had a very nice balance of fruit and tertiary flavors. Nose showed some cherry blossom, meat and earth, with a little spice and old leather. Palate was equally compelling, with red fruit, bacon fat and jerked beef, earth and spice...in a word, delicious! 93+ for my palate! My second favorite red....I liked the 1994 Beaucastel slightly more!
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Monthly Tasting Group: Rhones (Noyes and Cutler, St. Paul, MN): Small glass over 15 mnintes. Oh the violets on the nose here, deeply floral, leather, soil, garrigue, classy, long and minerally dense on a medium frame. Really understated and refined for the vintage, outstanding. 93+pts.
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Monthly Tasting Group HWS: Clos des Papes (By AH): Beautiful and spicy fragile bouquet. Quite mature bouquet. On the palate there are still good elements, but I think the wine is falling apart. There are very mature impressions, figs, boiled fruits and glue. This was a very great wine, but this bottle is nowhere near what it was. No score.
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The wine is still wonderful. I can’t see it improving, but has a couple years of great drinking left. Decanted, mainly to filter it. Great color and plenty of fruit on the nose. Well integrated tannins. Nice acidity. Had with short ribs and complemented the meal well.
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Chateauneuf du pape tasting (at my home): requires 1-2 hours of aeration med ruby black med+ aromas intensity of red ripe cherries, forest floor, oak-vanilla developed dry, high acidity, med+ soft tannins, high abv, med+ body, excellent complexity, med+ flavors intensity consistent with the aromas, long finish, excellent complexity, can drink now - suitable for further aging
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The last of my bottles. I've had quite a bit of variation with this vintage. This one was good, albeit showing signs of age. Black cherry and raspberry, still sweet and bright enough to provide pleasure, soil tones, garrigue and spices. Soft, but persistent. This bottle was actually very tasty, but very much felt like it was in its final stages.
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Drank with Jennings, requires an hour or more decanting. Rich earthy bouquet, well rounded texture and acidity, taste is more earthy, leather then fruit but exceptional all around.
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Great showing. Turning lighter, more Rayas-like, maybe, while still with the backbone of Mourvèdre. Plenty of red berries here, sheer elegance, probably drinking a point. Retasted on day 2 - has not moved. #Kandestederne #ribeye
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It smells like cherry liqueur. Also some fresh red cherries with air. Also the pastry of a cherry pie, the juice has soaked into it. Some heat on the nose. Maybe some chocolate. Lighter than expected on the palette. So elegant. More cherry. Alcohol there but unobtrusive. Held its appeal over hours, no rush. One of if not the best CdP I’ve had
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Stood up for five days and decanted for two and a half hours. A medium ruby core fading to a pale ruby outer edge. The nose revels the most intense aromas of cherry imaginable with rich heady notes of cherry kirsch liqueur and fresher, more pure elements of bing cherry - backed up by the faintest hint of Sichuan pepper lurking in the background. Silken, refined, and elegant the intensity of the cherry reappears on the palate alongside damp herbs and red liquorice. An extraordinary, elegant, and pure celebration of cherry.
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Whoa...a beautiful and mature wine at almost 20 years old and still holding on. Sweet cherry fruit and red raspberry, and plums. Notes of earth, mushroom, spice, and cracked pepper with an ever so slight mustiness to it. Still has some good acidity, smooth tannins, and long finish. Classic CdP vintage...fantastic right now but will still go a few more years. Glad I have more.
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Seems a little past its prime. Flavors a little earthy/musty but ok. Decent nose. Drank about an hour after opening. Maybe will do better with some more time open but I think its time to drink it.
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I still haven’t had a tired Clos des Papes. Even this 375 from 2003 is fresh. Quite a complex nose with earth, leather, garrigue, mushrooms, and plum fruit that is still holding on. Perfectly balanced, fresh palate. 30 second finish.
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Mature but holding on. Burgundian. Muted and mottled nose. But still alluring. Old spices, your little league leather glove, some soil and mushrooms on palate, but still a nice zest of acidity and lingering fruit. I meant to Coravin for a wee glass or two with lunch, but the cork popped up a bit and was forced to open the bottle around noon while the rest of family is a few hours away visiting family - woe is me! Enjoying the afternoon session drinking this bottle. Going to make some duck with a blueberry port sauce to meet it on the tail end.
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Engaging evolving rich but well integrated with smoke, notes of pepper over prevailing blue and red fruit. Drinking beautifully once opened up. Very responsive to decant Wish I had more.
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Still think this wine is fantastic. Decanted for 45 minutes. Fair amount of sediment. Nice ruby color. Great fruit on the nose and palate. Smooth tannins with a nice acidity. Had this with veal shanks (prepared similar to osso bucco). Wonderful. And just sipped the last glass. Nice finish. I have one more, and I don’t think I’ll wait to long.
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PnP was tight. Fruit was overwhelmed by acid / tannin. Could have mistaken for pinot noir. After ~ 2 hour decant, fruit came forward in beautiful way. Well balanced.
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Consumed the day after a Beaucastel 2010, and what a difference between two wines from the same area! This one is transparent redberry colored, almost like a Pinot. The rim is slightly brownish, but the main impression is clear red. The nose is elegant (may I say so, the alcohol is 14,5%?) with clear notes of kirsch, warm earth, chocolate, and a tarry tone. In addition there is a "cool" tone - like menthe. Full bodied attack, sweet on the palate, lots of sweet cherry fruit combined with chocolate and pepper, very smooth tannins and a wonderful acidity it balance it all. Given the full punch this wine provides, it is also strangely elegant, even though the finish is a bit warm. The alcohol is nicely integrated, and the main impression is of a wine that is seamless and beautifully constructed. This is really a wine for eternity as it now - at 18 years of age - is strutting with healthy youth and vigor. If there is any objections, it may be a lack of the spice-tones that often follows Grenache based wines like this. However, a beauty! Drink now with some hearty game or lamb, or keep for God knows how long. The wine seems indestructible to me. Coming back to the Beaucastel, seven years younger, this is just another creature. This wine is an elegant cat, while the Beaucastel is more like a powerful dog (sorry for the inelegant comparison).
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High toned, good fruit, long. Has Burgundian elements to it. Seems well structured but slightly unbalanced at the moment. I’m very interested to see how this will age. This was the first of my 6 bottles.
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red fruits, herbal, some hints of oak; in a perfect spot, seamless on the palate, great fruit and a very long finish. complex and excellent, I'd be drinking now
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At first it was somewhat muddled: dark flavors, a hit of brown sugar and very spicy. Eventually, it calmed down into sweet raspberry and cherry, with a chasing of earth. Soft textured and still a little plump, as one might expect from this age and vintage. Not the best bottle of this wine I've had.
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Spectacular. Raspberry and a bit of pleasant char on the nose. The wine actually had a bit of zing but very flavorful and smooth. Very fine sediment. I have three bottles remaining and will drink over the next year or two.
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Perfect cork. Nose exploded with sour cherry and macerated red berries. Smoldering tobacco and forest floor, but not until the raspberries and cherries dissipate. Plenty of grip and acidity left. Great bottle. Not for the decanter at all.
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Surprisingly still plenty fresh with attractive and pure forward red fruits, although absent any garrigue elements. An altogether delicious drink, and while these might easily ask a bit longer, there is no reason to wait expecting better.
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From magnum. Unfortunately, like many '03, already at the final days of its peak window, even in this format. The nose is not the over-the-top fruit it had early after it release and has turned into far more subtle and perfumed enchantment. Nonetheless, still a quality CDP with vibrant and dense red and black fruit in layers and a 20+ finish, some touches of spice, Oak and red currant with just the right amount of food acidity.
2016 Chateauneuf du Pape 99/100 point wine taste-off (and a couple of pirate Rhone wines): A 2003 Clos des Papes was thrown into the mix, along with a couple of Mordoree Plum Peintre (2003 and 2005). The Clos was the freshest of the older wines, with an earthy profile that spit out wild raspberry fruit and more advanced flavors of oolong tea, leather, and bark. Bitter cherry and plum skin add interest.
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Opened for about 2 hours before drinking. Initial tastes were great. Smooth fruit to start, a little earthy to finish. Nice aroma. It seems as though the longer it was opened it lost a little of everything. Still good, but probably time to drink all that I have as I don't think there is much more to gain from cellaring
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I was surprised how fresh this was considering the vintage. Good fruit, which was not surprising, but it was NOT overly ripe, and there was enough grip and tannins to carry it. Tar, herbs, and floral notes on the nose which carry through to the palette.
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A bit better than the bottles tasted previously. needs to be decanted many hours before drinking. Better than the 2003 Pierre Usseglio Cuvee de mon aieul drunk alongside it, which has been almost undrinkable over the last few years
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Burnt tar and soft plum on the nose. With hints of cherry cola. A bit of rotten eggs initially, but I expect that to disappear with decanting. Palate is jammy and salty with fleshy licorice and red fruit. There is a certain bite to this wine that makes you want another sip!
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Really enjoyed this, dark rich ripe sweet black raspberry and plum fruits with a smooth texture and just a touch of heat. Plenty of spicy nuance and classic funk rounded this out nicely.
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This was sublimely haunting. What a nose. Scents of mushrooms, cranberries, black tea, thyme, rocks and dried strawberries. Simultaneously silky, yet refreshing. It has notes of cherries, rosemary/thyme, kalamata olives, cardamom, beefy meatiness and enveloping raspberry notes. I think it’s pretty close to peak- maybe 2-5 more years and this will be 95+ IMO.
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An interesting wine, powerful and somber nose, a glorious moody bastard, thick and dense, with concentrated black fruit and loads of sweet spices, glycerin and extract with polished edges. Ready to be drunk, but will hold well a couple of years but I do not think it will turn into a refined version of itself. Tannins slightly drier after extended decant. Do not know what to eat with that, its somber sweetness will probably hold Asian food spices and light chili...
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From magnum. Less expressive than the single bottle. Good but needs evolution so I will avoid the notes as I think this simply needs 5 more years in mag.
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From 75cl of impeccable provenance, perfect storage, perfect cork. Decanted 1 hour. Pale colour, showing some age. Cooked, boiled-sweet-like aromas and entry; darkish-red, overripe-sweet mid-palate fruit fights it out with a closed fist of blackberry/licquorice/rough tannins. Not a lot of fun – but if you like overripe Australian GSM you might like this. To me, this just tastes principally of the 2003 vintage (like the more unsuccessful red Bordeaux and so much red Burgundy, Alsace and German Pinot Noir) and only in the second instance of its (glorious) terroir. Fascinated to read PJRONeill's TN of 10.10.2019: obviously there are better bottles out there. Alas, this wasn't one of them. And amused to see the "View from the Cellar" 52P under "Professional Reviews" further down this page. Probably that score is a typo(?) but on the strength of this bottle might it be a Freudian typo? 87-88P
Fabulous CNdP, despite being 17 yo. Lovey red and dark fruit, excellent mid weight texture, tannins completely absorbed and a beautiful finish. Wish we had more!
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Colour maturing. Nose slightly decaying fruit and spice. Lots of interest. Palate a little tired but alcohol not dominating. Enjoyable but not as good as the last bottle
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Decided to open another to see if the oxidation of the last bottle an anomaly or not. Fortunately this bottle was not oxidized. However, the alcohol has never really come into balance. The fruit is still nice and tannins are softened, but the alcohol is still noticeable to me. I don't think this is really going to come around much more than it has.
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beginning stages of oxidation. sherry-like character. still had some dark fruit and a touch of heat, but oxidation was always there. Still drinkable but not pleasantly though.
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Served right after the Mouton 96, this had a much more Southern feel than usual, rich, sweet, spicy, sauvage, a real, red blooded neuf in the company of aristocratic Burgs and Bordeaux ... #Jordnær
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CDP Corona Tasting...gotta love it!: This wine was double decanted to get rid of sediment, poured into small jars around 4 pm, transported to individuals for the tasting, poured into glasses and tasted at 6:30 pm, tasted over the course of 2 hours. The wines were tasted single blind (we knew what all the wines were, but not which one we were tasting). The wines in this tasting were as follows:
1. 1998 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau 2. 2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée 3. 2009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin 4. 2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape 5. 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The group's top 2 (which received almost all 1st or 2nd place votes) were the 2003 Clos des Papes (Number 1) and the 2000 Pegau (Number 2). My order was as follows: (1) 2000- Pegau, (2) 2003 Clos des Papes, (3) 2009 Janesse, (4) 2007 Beaucastel, and (5) 1998 Telegraphe. As a side note, my number 5 did not end up there because it was a bad, on the contrary, it was good, just happened to like the other wines better!
2003 Clos des Papes - This was the only wine I picked correctly! It was also the group's number 1 wine, but my number 2. The best part of this tasting was it confirmed, blind or not, I enjoy Pegau and Clos des Papes! Thankfully, that is what I mostly have for CDP in my cellar! This was classic Clos des Papes, with red and black fruit integrated with earth and grilled meat, some herbs and hint of blackberry pie. The wine is well balanced and the flavors are duplicated in the nose and palate. The nose is slightly subdued, especially compared to the Pegau, which I felt was the most fragrant of the 5 CDPs. A more pronounced nose would have likely elevated this wine to my number 1. The finish was medium and the mouthfeel was pretty full bodied and mouth coating. A delicious wine I enjoyed. I thought the Clos des Papes and Pegau stood out slightly from the rest of the pack, thus my 94 ratings. This was a solid 94, and a better nose on this bottle would have given it a +. It is drinking quite well now, but seems like it is no hurry to fade out. I suspect at least another 5 years easily.
Single-blind Chateauneuf du Pape (Everyone's House): Single blind covid-style, so each wine delivered in a small jar. Pretty pretty fruit. Ripe berries, earhy, red bell pepper, the tannins are not strong. This was my wine of the night, although I scored it the same as the Janasse and the Pegau, and frankly the Beaucastel was only a half-step behind. All four wines were very good, with none of them extending into the 94+ range.
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Virtual Single Blind CdP Tasting (Home): Dark red color with 1cm transition. Splash double decanted and served 2.5 hours later. Drank a glass single blind over 3+ hours. This was singing at the start; excellent nose, right there with the Pegau and maybe even a tad better. Floral, funk, earth, mushroom, perfumed red fruits, garrigue, and spice. The palate shows a medium body, red fruits, cherry, floral, soft and sleek, medium grained tannins, pepper, medium plus finish with some subtle heat. This really faded after the first hour and the heat became more prominent with the fruit fading and the spice really jumping out. I was sure this was the '03 Clos des Papes. 93pts over the first hour. My #2 and Group #1 WOTN.
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Oldest CndP I can recall trying thanks to son's BY, he helped evaluate it which was fun to share impressions with him. On PnP it was a clear garnet gem, w/little sediment until decanting 2nd half of btl. Aromas hit with a strong dark chocolate/mocha and black raspberry profile, and perhaps briny olive/balsamic notes. Decanted 2+ hrs before serving with leg of lamb and white beans, and it had turned much more complex and nuanced with thyme, spices, earthy forest floor, and deep rich red/black fruits framed by still solid tannins and med- finish. Great pairing, only negative was after hour 5 it became a bit rough and closed losing some of the harmony enjoyed earlier. Though not much experience with CndP beyond ~8 - 10 years, I suspect this does have at least 5, perhaps 10 years ahead of it.
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6th bottle from a case purchased last year and consistent notes with each. I used to adore this wine. At 5 to 10 years of age it had so much power, richness and complexity that I was sure this wine would have a long life ahead. However, and to my surprise and disappointment, that life has come to a premature end. The wine is enjoyable but it has lost the character, body and appeal that made it such a brilliant wine in its youth. It seems fully resolved and on a fairly steep downward hill. Medium bodied, sweet strawberry and blackcurrant but little complexity and a short finish. Drink up.
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Ruby with slightly orange tinted rim. Nose of medium intensity, but complex and elegant. Cherries, incense, earth, herbs, strawberry, mushrooms, later olives. On the palate it shows still some adstringent tannins with low but enough acidity. Sometimes I wish I had all of this in its youth with its fruity exuberance and power. Now of course it is a more classic example of this. On the palate it has more power and lenght (after some airtime without decant) than the nose suggest. I decant a part of the bottle. The result is that the scents and flavors more become a chord loosing a bit of the nuances, but maybe getting more harmony and balance. A question of personal taste. All in all this is still outstanding to me, but not extraordinary as in its youth. Nevertheless it is going to age better than I expected. This will last and probably evolve for another decade if perfectly cellared since release imho. Purchases from secondary market should be consumed now. 5/13/18/10 -2029
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Virtually identical to our bottle on Dec. 13, '19. Decanted for 30 minutes (with sediment) to allow the wine to express itself. The medium bodied palate still yielded some dark red fruit, raspberry, earth, and spice. The acid is balancing and the tannins are integrated. Suggest enjoying in the next year.
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Nearly 6 years later I am drinking a 2003 CDP and it’s delightful, a long finish and a crimson color!! A Beautiful 17-year-old wine! Clearly still a 98 point wine!!! Don’t be fooled by the other reviews!!! If you have a few bottles of this wine you might want to consider opening them soon!!!
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Just a tad less enjoyable than our bottle one year ago. Decanted for 30 minutes (with sediment) to allow the wine to express itself. Age is catching up with this wine as everything seemed to be toned down a notch or two. The medium bodied palate still yielded some dark red fruit, raspberry, earth, and spice. The acid is balancing and the tannins are integrated. Suggest enjoying in the next year.
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A good 6 years since we tried this at the Chateau ( Papies 92) and this now with age seems to just have a sweet spicy and juicy full on side of the 2003 vintage and as expected vert much an atypical CdP. Big as well with 14.5% Alc, rich but not heavy or burnt just juicy and very spicy. Not our cup of tea but still a good 90
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I last tasted this in February of this year. It was disappointing then and still is. Decanted for 3 hours. Lacks weight and structure It’s dry on the finish with alcohol taking over I have read comments that suggest bottle/batch variation. I bought this directly from major supplier in early 2007 and it’s been in a temp controlled cellar since then
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Animal funk, super sharp spicy clove and pepper. Musky, herbal, and intense. Long, concentrated and explosive. Drinking beautifully now, but should last for many more years.
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Evidently there are good bottles of 03 Clos des Papes and bad bottles, and its apparent that my stash are from the bad batch. I squirreled some away in storage for the last five years in the hope that time would do something, anything to them and while it has, it's only made them marginally less bad. The nose is still heavily weighted towards strawberry jam and a hint of burnt rubber and the palate is redolent of jolly ranchers and alcoholic heat. One of those early auction purchases when I put my trust in reviews but really had no clue which way was up. At least this winter's bolognese sauces won't be short of some red wine.
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I loved this; wife thought it was jammy/plummy. Purchased around release from premier cru (remember them? :-), the cork on this bottle was pristine, capsule slid right off. From the pop, rich nose of still bright fruit and after a few minutes air, herbs and spices, perhaps a tiny amount anise. Color showed a bit of bricking but mostly a bright ruby red. All harshness had faded and I found lots of fruit, soft, but not descending into cloying or baked fruit (as my wife thought). Nice and juicy still, nice medium-length finish, really just loved this with broiled rack of lamb. I'm not good at exact scores but low-mid 90s for sure. I have one more left and will try to wait a few more years; while I don't think this needs any more time or will improve, it also should hold for a good while.
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Tertiary aromas on the nose: mushroom, earth. Lovely dark fruits with graphite and mineral in the intense mouth. Balsalmic notes on the long, supple finish. Drink now, I think it will fade in the next 5 years.
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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.
Slow oxed x 3 hrs. Aging beautifully. Still with bright strawberry/cherry fruit, garrique, licorice on nose. To me the palate is unique to this vintage with medium plus weight, well-integrated tannins, and just enough acidity to balance the round fruit feel and keep it food-friendly. On a great plateau now and no sign of falling off.
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Tasted over two days, better on Day 2. At first, a wee bit petillant, quickly disappears and gives room to the very elegant Grenache-fruit, sweet and embracing, still with a lot of local feel. Very soft tannins. Now, relax please, wait for the next one, no hurry here. #Kandestederne
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First from case. Clearly a controversial wine. I am not a lover of heavily muscled over ripe wine but I am a long time fan and buyer of Clos des Papes. I did not find this over the top. Certainly bigger styled than many vintages but there is balance and structure and some freshness in the finish. Yes it has some alcohol but this is CDP.overall I really enjoyed this and look forward to enjoying the rest of the case.
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Looks young, and drinking young too. Pretty floral aromas, with raspberry and kirsch and something mineral and marine, barnyardy for a moment. It’s very nostalgic altogether: this smells like my idea of great wine when I first started getting into wine years ago.
In the mouth, it’s probably not as brawny as it once was, but it’s delicious, with plums and berries, a bit of licorice, and a lavender garrigue note that persists, slightly bitter, through the finish. Tannins are still definitely present, ultrafine but tongue-coating. Pleasure to come back to this wine and find that it’s still so familiar. This seems ageless at the moment, so it’s easy to forecast another 10 years at least.
Drank from magnum. Fully mature but lovely and likely quite good for awhile. Nice nose with soft tannins and good red fruited structure with a touch of mushroom on the finish.
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Really singing tonight; beatiful red fruit, still quite primary elegance, seemless balance. First bottle of case #2, and there is no hurry; this will be very long lived. #PB
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Disappointing. Improved after 2-3 hours decanting Lacked weight and structure. A bit dry with questionable balance and alcohol taking over. Based on this bottle it’s over the hill
Oh man was this great, a truly tremendous wine with a deep core and a hint of iodine on the nose. Kirsch, tar and dark brambles across the palate. On night 2, there is still a strong backbone and a richness. Drink now thru 2025 for optimum enjoyment.
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This cdp shows no hints of the hot vintage and is neither high in alcohol or overdone. More elegant than voluptuous this wine has a sweet nose and a medium long finish. Fully mature and don’t see any reason it will get better. Popped and poured.
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Clear pale garnet, medium intensity nose of blueberries, black cherry, plum/prune, stewed mixed fruit, touch of cinnamon, vegetal/herby notes (thyme?), savoury. On the palate med++ acidity, chewy med++ tannins, touch of fruit, one to chew over and savour over the long length. A real treat!
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Allowed to slo-ox for 1/2 hour, but continued to improve with more air during the dinner. So, recommend slo-ox of 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or full decant of 30 - 45 minutes. Either way, be aware of sediment. Dark red fruit, kirsch, and garrigue on the nose. These all follow on to the palate with balancing acidity, and nicely integrated tannins. No sign of the extraordinarily hot vintage. Probably won't improve, but should hold for a couple more years.
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Was showing a lot differently than a previous couple of bottles that I really enjoyed. Definitely did not present as a 15 year old CdP as it felt fairly young.
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Cherries, garrigue and a strong note of grilled meat, which is unusual in a Clos des Papes. Medium-bodied, balanced, fresh (much fresher than my previous bottle, which tasted older than 15 years), not heavy at all. My best bottle yet of my original stash.
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Surprisingly restrained and balanced for hot vintage CdP. No overt stewed fruit elements on the nose or palate, modest alcohol (14 percent), lighter weight than expected, with glycerin-like textures. It paired well with a range of small plates fare.
Not yet peaked, but squarely in its drinking window, and while it should last another five+ years, further improve seems questionable.
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This vintage is a great example of aged versus young wine. It is a joy to drink and explore even if you prefer younger or fresher wine like I tend too.
Opened and decanted for an hour. I did not decant longer because of its age. After 15 years in the bottle it has been exposed to some oxygen over time so giving it a lot more will only increase its downward timeline.
Still a dark purple in the center but nice bricking along its watery edge. Aroma's of black fruit with prune, dried herb and perhaps raisin.
On the palate this is well balanced, the tannin's are pretty resolved, the Alcohol is tame and the acids are in balance with the above. Flavors of prune, black fruits and dried herb make-up the majority of the taste. You can taste the layers and enjoying this wine with and without food was amazing. The flavor profile changed with the additional of fats or acids from food which is why I loved tasting this guy!
Overall I tend to enjoy younger or fresher wines but this aged beautifully and its complex layers are still present albeit getting dimmer. This was my 5th bottle and my last but I really enjoyed the years of drinking pleasure this gave me.
Its wine like this that makes the journey in wine so exciting to me!
In my opinion, if you have some drink them up you will not be disappointed. This is a well made quality wine that has entered the twilight year and does not have much more to give.
Cheers
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Lots of variation with this wine; I have been fortunate to have purchased good bottles. Still good fruit: cherry mainly. Something dark and hard to identify: not really fruit, but not really earth either. A little sweet on the finish, like brown sugar or molasses. Plush but still lively. It tastes older than its age, but nonetheless tastes like a good example of an older CNdP.
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A bit disappointed. Lovely floral CNDP nose but lacking depth and weight on the palate with an alcoholic finish that drops off too quickly. Not a terrible wine by any stretch but there are better vintages of this out there for sure.
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Very strange, after opening everyone thought is had alight cork, strange smell but limited impact on taste, disappeared after about 60 minutes and became a mellow CndP from a hot hear. Good but not great
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A "porty" nose with dried and very ripe fruit, dried herbs, clean and not marked by alcohol. On the palate a beautiful tar minerality, just hints of dark chocolate, hints of meat but above all the dried ripe strawberries, figs, cherries, raisins. Good structure with mellowed tannins and a good acidity backbone. Medium bodied with a long finish.
I liked the structure and the aromatic precision but the aroma profile is not mine. Too port wine like, too much raisins, too ripe. I have an ambivalent relationship with CDP wines. On one hand I had some great, elegant wines (incl. some younger Clos des Papes) but on the other hand too many (older) supposed to be "fine wines" turned out to be just too much for my taste (too ripe and/or too extracted and/or too extreme aroma profile). It's a matter of taste and to be fair, others at the table liked this wine clearly better than I did (but nobody on a goosebumps level).
Decanted it for roughly two+ hours. Opened up and gained weight, hence I advise to decant at two to three hours.
What a wonderful wine, this is. Elegant, en danseuse, starts out with minerals galore, even a wee bit petillant, sweet red fruit, hints of the homeland, garrigue etc. Grows in the glass. Fine future ahead of this one, never had a dissapointing bottle ...
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Really smooth with a hint of bacon fat on the back end. This is my kind of wine! Spices, garrique and tar on the nose followed by some bramble and deep fruits, a mouth coating finish with a hit of tar.
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Raspberry punches you in the throat on this one, but gorgeously opens up to notes of dark chocolate, cumin, dried cranberry, burnt cigars and horse leather. A bit unbalanced, especially when rocking towards the finish. Tertiary notes suddenly appear on the mid-palate which tells me this is cracking up its peak. Heavily old school wine with its elements confusingly all over the place.
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2003 CLOS des PAPE CHATEAUNEUF du PAPE- it`s rare for this tasting group to get duplicates, but we did in this case; bottle #1 was redolent with black cherry from the nose through the tail; there was a briary blackberry component as well and a touch of dark chocolate by mid palate.
2003 CLOS des PAPE CHATEAUNEUF du PAPE- the 2nd bottle was very similar to the first except that the fruit was fresher and ripe and less briary.
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A slight bit horsey, yet dark black tarry aromas quote inviting. Dark warm ripe flavors with anise, black oil, and black fruits. Nice density and good lift. Packs a heavy punch yet remains relatively friendly. Long finish, very old world in style. A love it or hate it kind of style.
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Popped and poured for State of the Union blind tasting. Beautiful, youthful CdP with floral bouquet. Balanced, deep red fruit with a touch of salinity on the palate. My close WOTN and tied for the group's.
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Concentrated, lush and full bodied, the powerful wine kicks off with jammy black cherries, pepper, figs and Provencal herbs. Not exactly delicate, this is more focused on the volume and stylistic character. There is a touch of dryness in the finish that is not off putting, but part of the wines character. There is no touch of heat or over-ripeness here. Still young, this is not your grandmother's Clos des Papes.
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Nose of strawberry jam on cornbread, mushrooms, tar, and garrigue. The fruit is a little more pronounced on the nose now compared to when I last had it 3 years ago. Light in weight, delicious mature strawberry jam fruit. A masculine lining of tarry horse stable floats across and lingers on a long finish. Absolutely none of the 'hot vintage' worries are displayed in this wine. This was the first CdP I ever had, and it is still a favorite.
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Every bottle I have had of this recently completely delivers the goods as it seems to be in a great drinking window where it has retained its power while developing terrific complexity at the same time. Complex nose, fully mature, fleshy, complex mid palate with flavors of tobacco, red currant, spices and roasted meats. Despite the high alcohol levels it isn’t noticeable.
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nice bottle, natural cork, this is deep red, showing notes of ripe fruit (not overcooked or stewed as others have been noticing), tea, incense and game. Delicious in mouth, fruity and tannic, but ripe and silky, with a long finish. Holding or not is a matter of taste; to me this is drinking beautifully now.
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Popped and poured. This is a medium-red wine with some modest sediment toward the end of the bottle. Decanting wouldn't hurt but also isn't necessary. On the nose, I get sweet figs, prunes, a touch of heat, some slight herbs, and (a bit into the botttle) black tea. In the mouth, this is mouth-coating and fairly heavy, with slight bits of red fruit, and a sweet, raisin-hinted finish. Overall, this is significantly better than other bottles of 2003 Clos des Papes. That said, it still is mared by the vintage and doesn't have usual lively acidity and overall complexity I've grown to expect from this producer. This also seems to be on the downward slope and is losing whatever complex notes it had and leaving the stewed fruit; I don't see much prospect of further improvement with age. This was my last bottle of 2003 CdP, and I am not sad to say goodbye -- I've had too many overheated and raisiny bottles of 2003 CdP. 88 points.
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Coravin sample from a fresh bottle Similar to my last note except the tannin wall was more intrusive - ripe fruit but a harsh wall of tannin that clashes at the midpalate. Did melt a little with food. Overall I'm glad I sold all but a few singletons - not a great wine for me
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Some clos des papes (one of my favorite producers) aromatics and fruit profiles are here, but the wine is in a hot, stewed prune fruit style which doesn't lend to the typical elegance and balance I love from this house. I've got one more and will pair w something large scaled.
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Solid showing. Considering the vintage, this was relatively lithe and understated. Red fruit on the sweeter side of the spectrum, dusty tannins, a little spice, not over extracted or overly ripe. Never would have pegged this as an 03.
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{purchased on release in metro Boston, perfect storage and fill, Pop'N Pour} Stewed overly ripe fruit nose, initially (for 25 minutes) ripe forepalate with very short finish. Worsened over time... and attack has both stewed fruit and acid, and the length ... shortened. At half an hour nothing attractive in the nose. Generic Cote du Rhone is better. Sigh. Please see my note from 4/2016, with bottle from my San Francisco storage - i thought that bottle was pretty miserable and this bottle is both consistent and a bit less good. Given a 78 as it is red, has alcohol, and if without anything else would be quaffable. But the longer it remains open and I taste it the lower the score goes.
If you want a good 2003 try Vieux Donjon. Very well made and a long-term ager in my experience. A counterpoint to this, usually one of my favorite producers. Not a knock on all 2003s.
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while other post-2001 vintages of this wine sometimes seems a bit to heavy, this keeps singing, very Pinot-like, as of now, very much on the Grenache, sweetness, garrigue. Unchanged on Day 2. #Kandestederne
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Rich, roasted and rather port like. Heady fruit and really quite complex. I found this to be in a place which had resolved tannin and seemed like was drinking at a good stage of its life. Not to my taste, but no obvious fault in the wine.
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To be honest, I was a bit worried whether this 2003 might be overripe and overdone due to the vintage, but it wasn't ... Drunk over three evenings, during which time neither the bouquet nor the palate budged ... A nose of cassis, smokey bonfire, stewed plums and garrigue, with tar and a touch of black pepper. In the mouth, rich, unctuous, powerful and flirting with surmaturité and roasted fruit, but saved by elegance and silkiness. The winemaker has managed to retain some freshness. Red cherries, dark chocolate, espresso, liquorice and plums. Also some beef stock. Big boned, weighty and dense. Alcohol a relatively reasonable 14.5% (no alcoholic burn on the finish). Sleek and pretty seamless but with some slightly bitter, grippy, tarry tannins on the finish. Others will no doubt rate this wine higher than me. About there now for optimal drinking, I think, but no hurry needed.
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Much better than a bottle tasted a few months ago, still, while there was a lot to like here, with its jammy kirsch, spice, earth and peppery profile, this is not a wine I'd hold for more development. Drink up over the next few years is my advice.
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Opened an '01 La Nerthe before opening this and wow! Blackberry, cherry on the nose, fruit bomb on the palate. Smooth, oh so smooth, entire table of 6 were blown away by this. Modern CDP, could go another 10 years in the cellar easy.
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beautiful CNDP. Not sure what all the fuss is about, this is a fantastic wine from a problematic vintage. classic CNDP nose and palate, red fruits, garrigue, road tar and orange blossom. Certainly a "wow" wine, whilst this might have been seen as over the top and a touch too flamboyant a decade ago, this has settled into a super classic, gorgeous red. Highly recommended. A great example as to why good wines need 15 years in the cellar.
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From Magnum. 2 Hour decant and it needed it. Classic CDP nose. Layers of red fruits with some black and blue underneath. Not much spice but lovely earthiness to it. Very smooth.
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En flott flaske! Fint moden og ikke over toppen som jeg ser enkelte andre opplever. Intens aroma med preg av kircsh, mørke bær, lakk, te, urter. I munnen er den fyldig og med sødmefull frukt samtidig med høy syre og tannin som gir vinen balanse og ryggrad. God lengde. Fungerte utmerket til rådyrgryte.
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Purple-orange color with a bouquet and flavor dominated by beef bouillon and barbecue notes with a harsh impression on the palate. Probably over the hill and not representative of most bottles of this wine, judging from other tasting notes.
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Fruity nose (blackcurranthe, prune) quickly faded away after 30 minutes in decanter. Earthy and leathery on palate. No more tannin. Simple and straightforward not as complex as expected.
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Brookie and I had this at The Oven with our usual vegetarian dishes, decanted for an hour or so. Our first bottle of Clos Des Papes in any vintage. Brookie and I had a very different impression right out of the chute: Brookie got overwhelming mint, and I got a range of dark fruit, creosote, and some tobacco. We called Charley over to settle the dispute. We told him that one of us got mint and the other creosote. He took a sip or two and never told us what he thought. Always the diplomat!
The wine is delicious, somewhat modern, in my opinion, balanced, awesome, long finish. There is so much going on here, that if it develops any more I would probably raise my score, but as is, this is more than just a very good bottle. It is a masterful example (in my superinformed opinion) of the interplay between weight and balance and purity.
There is no reason to hurry with this wine. If you have a few bottles you could space them out over the next decade. If you have the opportunity to pick up a couple, I highly recommend that you do. One of the better $100 bottles of French wine I have had in the last couple of years. Let's hope the Chinese don't catch on.
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Hopefully, as my instincts say, this was an off bottle. Much of the freshness and red fruit were missing, and instead, the wine showed an intense jammy, fig like quality that was far too overripe, and flabby. This was from the same case as other bottles that have been stunning. So, sadly, your guess was as good as mine.
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Healthy ruby but unhealthy nose-musty but not corked, then bark (Mourvedre?), and then it decomposed into a volatile, alcoholic hot mess. Some brown spice, but thin and alcoholic in the mouth. Not tasted since 2005; I hated it then, and I hated it in its more mature, fully expressed form tonight.
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Drinking beautifully now with a taste of being fairly fully mature. Black fruits, spices, Kirsh, forest floor. Medium bodied with beautiful balance and subtlety.
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Of the 3 different 2003’s opened (Marcoux VV, Pegau Réservée), this seemed the least ready; initially, one does detect a slightly petillant character, but otherwise, this a classic showing; local, elegant, certainly turning lighter and lighter, but in no way getting to old. On day 2, putting on some body and more local character, still vibrant on day 3, just everchanging, really. I shall pause now, in opening these… wait a year or so for the next.
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Well, how time can change a wine - last bottle in 2010 and it was a mess. This bottle - ripe fruit dark red fruits with licorice and herbs. Still fresh and interesting - quite refreshing. A long finish. My one issue is some drying tannins which melted well with food, but without food were slightly jarring. Very enjoyable overall
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Very nice bottle, medium/dark red. About 30 minutes of open time and found earth, the red dark berry spectrum, integrated tannins. It continued to bloom with time. Paired with a 2000 Pierre Usseglio Cuvée de mon Aïeul for a short rib dinner main course. The Clos des Papes had a slight advantage in the voting.
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Not as robust as it was during the prime of its youth, but then who is? Layers of sweet, ripe, very ripe and over ripe dark red fruits, licorice, spice, earth, herbs and kirsch liqueur are all over the place. Rich, lusty, but not over the top, this is not a wine to hold from here.
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): Ripe black fruit aromas with sweet spice that are overall quite enticing. Same flavors, slightly more roasted and less enticing but still very enjoyable and nicely balanced. I can't recall tasting this wine since shortly after release and think I liked it more when younger.
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SO'd for a couple of hrs then decanted for another, garnet with a touch of brick on the rim, jammy red fruit with some spice, soft tannins, long finish; delicious & ready to drink. Not sure how much longer this will last, but great at present!
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Drank with champussi !!! Bought this on release and watched over it for a long time !! Now its judgement day ! Wow what a wine . Loved it so much . All the cherry and dark berry stuff your looking for , opening a Clos des Papes . Medium to full body. Long and smooooooth . Its now at peak . And will stay there for a long time. Drink or hold or buy if you find any !!!
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Der Wein ist jetzt voll trinkreif! Trotz des heissen Jahrgangs verfügt der Wein über eine schöne Säure und wirkt dadurch sehr elegangt, frisch, trinkanimierend und verhältnissmäßig leicht für einen Ch9. Er hat einen mittleren bis vollen Körper. Es herrschen rote früchte und mediterrane Kräuter vor. Die Aromatik erinnert mich ganz stark an den kürzlich getrunkenen 2006er Mon Aïeul von Usseglio. Die Gerbstoffe sind wunderbar integriert. Keine Spur von Überreife oder Ähnlichem! Ein großer Rotwein in seiner vollen Blüte! Bestimmt bis 2022.
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Ib & Pia in Kandestederne (Kandestederne): still no signs af declining - and furthermore, no signs of the heated 2003; hail Mourvèdre. This showed at bit more like the real McCoy, a neuf close to the soil, barnyard, sweet Grenache, rustique, but elegant nonetheless. The length is impressive. Ib liked this one a lot, as did I...
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Lyle Fass's note pegs it. Hot, overbearing and undrinkable. Couldn't get past 2-3 tastes before pouring it out. That despite the fact that 1) I generally love CDP, and 2) 2001 Clos des Papes is a contender for best red wine I've had in the past year. The 2003 is unbearable, however - at least from this bottle.
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CDP Session (Rayas) (Extra Space): Poured into decanter and drank over 3 hours. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, purplish ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas if earth, red cherry, licorice, and some savoury soy sauce with more air. Developed. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.5%), smooth high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet concentrated red cherries, sweet red plums, licorice, earth. Long long finish. Very good quality. Maintains elegance despite the full body and intensely sweet ripe fruit. Just made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Drinking at peak now. Drink up. Could it possibly be because of the vintage that results in such a wide variation in tasting notes between bottles stored under different conditions? Just some thoughts.
The Taste Pilots, 2.0: Grenache Night (An Undisclosed Gem of a Private Room Somewhere in Buellton, CA): Not the best bottle, I fear, as this came off as somewhat one-dimensional, in contrast with a host of glowing notes from others. Very tawny in color, so perhaps advanced? There was evident heat on the nose, along with black cherries. Candied fruit on the palate, plenty of tannins, but a bit simple overall.
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Ma dernière bouteille....j'avais l'impression de dire adieu à un vieux copain qui quitte le pays!
Celle-ci fut excellente, sur le kirsch et la garrigue, très classique. Elle n'avait pas la dimension supplémentaire de finesse, presque magique, que quelques bouteilles de ce vin ont montré au fil du temps. Mais c'était un très beau Châteauneuf, au style traditionnel, un peu chaleureux comme bien des 2003, puissant mais sans excès, savoureux et complexe. CellarTracker me confirme que j'ai acheté 17 bouteilles de ce vin, sur une décennie! Que de bons souvenirs. Allez l'ami, ce n'est qu'un au revoir :) 93 pts
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Different from the bottle I drank (from another source) last April. In the bouquet the wine was extremely ripe and a bit like Port wine. On the palate in fact the same, a lot of sweetness and very ripe, currants. The alcohol is showing. There was a lot of discussion about this wine; too hot? Or not? And to be honest, I could understand the discussion. This bottle was by far not as good as the one I had in April… No score for today.
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This is turning in to Rayas-like elegance; it is light on its feat, almost a little bit petillant at first, needs to settle a bit, then the fresh fruit is quite overwhelming, texture is light, some garrigue here, it is a chateauneuf, but there is no heat, no 2003 notes. More heavy on day 2, with deeper, darker notes, some plumb, I would opt to drink this after some hours of air. Will live, certainly, but I think it is a point right now. #Kandestederne
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(Bottle purchased on release and stored in SF cellar. Pulled 2 days before dinner, perfect fill. Pop and pour with family, AWM). Initially gamy nose with roasty palate. About 30 minutes in, began to fall apart and by 45-50 minutes was cracked up with high alcohol, no palate length/finish. Have 2 more bottles in SF and hope this is not a 2003 vintage issue, as this is one of my favorite domains. Scored this high in case you could have swilled it down quickly.
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Occasional dinner group; A vertical of 15 vintages Clos des Papes and some great extra's. (@ B in SvG): In the bouquet beautifully ripe red and dark forest fruits, cherries, garrigue and some pleasant rustic impressions. On the palate the same very ripe fruits, herbs and spices, good acidity and soft and round tannin with still a pleasant and soft bite. Full bodied and concentrated wine. The wine is completely ready now and will stay on this level for several years. Until 2020 at least. Overall this 2003 was, together with the 2006 the best wine of the evening, for the moment of tasting. The 2003 because it is perfectly ready now and the 2006 because of its freshness and lovely bite. But it could well be some of the younger vintages might score even higher than 96 when they become of age.
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April Acker Auction (Marea): Suspect the bottle might have been flawed - fruit was coming across as stewed and the wine had an aged characteristic that seemed more pronounced than I would have expected compared to some other '03 CdPs of late.
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This is really drinking nicely. Opened and aired for two hours. Initial impression was acid is a little high, but that softened with some time. Really excellent on day two. I recommend you aerate and decant for three or.four hours. Excellent wine with a lot of stuff left for many years.
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Kanske dåligt... Myclet läder.. Kanske lite hästsvett..??? Men jag tyckte det var gott och ok... Nyfiken på dem andra kan det ha varit förvarat för varmt?
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Consistent with my previous bottles, there is an enormous amount of "fizz" upon opening (which I have found on many occasions with other southern Rhone wines). After shaking out the fizz (shaking the bottle with the palm of my hand covering the opening and then slightly opening my palm to allow the fizz to escape...like shaking and releasing fizz from a bottle of Coca-Cola), it's an excellent bottle of Chateauneuf!
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Part of a 12-bottle blind tasting of Rhones put on by my partner and me. Light color. Unusual acetic nose, sweet and sharp, definitely different from the others. It was not corked, just had this somewhat sweet chemical aroma, which partially blew off. The fruit was quite good, nice berry fruit, soft and very approachable, fully mature but at the end of its plateau. I'll have to try another bottle to see if it's the same. Ric
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Tasted blind along side what turned out to be Aquilon 2005 and Sine Qua Non Stein 2012 so this was the oldest of the group. The most delicate of the group, presenting as a lighter hazy crimson. More spice tea than fruit, with some prickly tannins left to resolve even after this time. Much different in style than the other two. Tasted after a 5 hour decant.
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Alcoholic, spirity nose on opening. Porty scents, big wine. Cloudy, presumably unfiltered? I did wonder if slightly volatile but it's a confused wine from a hot vintage and I really struggled to love it. The body is good and it doesn't taste as alcoholic as the nose suggests but I'd have to say it's out of balance. I've had a case of this and persisted in the hope that I find a stunning bottle but they all seem to be consistent with these characteristics. Unconvincing.
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Ouvert quatre heures avant le lunch au QG. Nez typé d'anis, de garrigue. Bouche voluptueuse et gourmande, c'est très bon mais pas la plus grande que j'ai prise de ce vin. 92 pts
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Initially nice fruit on nose. Quite sweet. Menthol, licorice, cough medicine, spice in the palate. Definitely tastes like it should from the Rhone. There are elements of the hot vintage in this wine, but I found it more balanced than feared and others seem to have. A big wine, but decent balance and worth trying.
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Ungdomens frukt och bäriga inslag är nu förpassade till bakgrunden, fram träder en elegant ståndsmässig skapelse med mörk frukt, körsbär med lite liköriga toner, jord, mylla, örtiga och exotiska kryddor. Härligt välbalanserad och komplex. Fortfarande kraftfull och full av liv, den här håller många år till!!
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Medium-dark ruby. Nose of red fruit, confiture, sweet spices, strawberry. Enters the palate full bodied with a bit drying tannins, seems to be tad overextracted, and alcoholic heat on the finish. I think the 2003 heatwave took its toll in this wine as well. I much prefer the 2010. 88-92, depending on how much you like this "hot" style.
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I wrote one of my very first tasting notes on this wine almost 8 years ago. I am not sure whether it is my tastes changing, or whether the wine has not aged all that well, but while still good, I did not quite enjoy it as much this time round as the half bottle all those years back. The nose struck me as rather noticeably sweeter and darker than I normally associate with Clos des Papes, with a slightly cooked character to its notes of cherries and berries, along with dried violets, garrigue and touches of earth and spice. The palate also came across as very sweet at first, even needing more acidity as it attacked with plenty of sweet cherry and berry flavours. Thankfully, it opened up quite nicely with time, showing more typical Clos de Papes hallmarks of elegance and clarity in its fruit, along with bits of spice and earthy mineral lending a bit of complexity and nuance. While it had a nice sense of shape and structure to it, I felt the wine was a tad drying at the finish and would perhaps have liked just a bit more freshness. Otherwise, it was actually quite nice. On the evidence, I think one should start drinking before the fruit fades behind the more drying elements.
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PNP with family dinner and paired with excellent NY strip steak. This wine was nicely chilled and very well balanced and fully mature. Very very pretty...would score 94-95
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Might as well copy the last note. Close to a leaker but not. Supple, delicious, smooth, balanced, nearly perfect. But this is at the zenith of its curve and time to drink up... I wouldn't wait any longer and as luck would have it, this is my last bottle...
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Halloween night, with Stephanie/Chris/Rosalind/Eileen, second red of the evening, with a variety of wood fired pizzas...First bottles from this vintage from my cellar. Decanted for about 2 hours prior to drinking - wine was good when opened but the decant makes a big difference w/secondary flavors and letting the wine settle.
Dark crimson/purple color.Nose was dark fruits, garrigue, some heat that blew off. Palate was dark fruits, bramble, sweet spices, cinnamon. Some sweetness on the mid palate.
Wine is still very primary and fruit forward for a CdP. Will likely settle in with some more cellar time, but I dont think this will approach the 05 or 07 in terms of complexity. Good wine, but not a great CdP
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Ouvert quatre heures à l’avance, il était superbe! Fruit rouge, kirsch, un peu d’anis, la bouche montre une élégance rare voire inattendue pour le millésime. Un grand Châteauneuf devenu presque Bourguignon, de par sa texture et sa finesse. 95 pts
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Sampled with Coravin. Hmmm....doesent really now what to think about this. Seems somehow muted and lacks fruit. It opened a bit after some time in the glass. try again in a year or two
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TTTG (2003s blind tasting) (Steve): Spirit-like nose of ripe berry; quite hot on the nose -- keep away from flames. On the palate, very ripe fruit, sweet spices; brambly. Very little structure (low tannin and acid). Lush and silky, but overly ripe and sweet. Not enjoyable.
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Some Like it Hot - 2003s, TTTG at Steve's (Steve's House): Good heavens I don't know what to make of this wine. Fourth bottle I've opened (admittedly over several years) and each time it's like spinning the Wheel of Mystery. You never know what you're gonna get. I half expect the next bottle to taste like Chablis. This specimen was entirely ass-kicking, but not entirely in a good way. I think I recall David describing this through gritted teeth and some defibrillator gestures as young dry port on steroids.
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Delicious. Didn't decant but opened about an hour before drinking and it was very good. Got smoother as the night went on. Flavorful with just a hint of that aged, slightly musty aroma. Can easily age a while longer
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Too bad I only have 6 of these. First bottle from the pack and have been cellared for 10yrs. Excellent wine. Really opened up after decant. I have a 2004 I'll try next. Am I the only guy that drinks wine on football Sunday!?!?! My favorite region Rhone/CDP!
Have had a few of these, and while they are consistent, they are really good, not really great. Still very big and primary, greener than expected. Would be interested to see what this is like in 10 more years. Quite vegetal with some red berry able to sneak through. Not overly exciting.
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very fresh and vibrant and tasted vis-vis a bottle of the 2004, this seemed much younger and lighter on it's feat, en danseuse, almost; lots of garrigue and locale here, sweet Grenache, a wine that is slowly, oh so slowly, heading in the direction of the elegant presence of a mature Clos des Papes. For now it is still young though, and I shall have to wait another year for the next one. #with PB&BHchezmoi
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Tasted form 375. Best showing for me to date but did not try right on release. Mellowing out into a more "traditional" CdP profile. Very smooth, very ripe, and nice long finish. I still get some heat on it but not as disjointed a few years ago.
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Really very impressive. Drinking a point. Still has some tannin and structure, but e mouthfeel,complexity and length is really impressive. Some roasted fruits but very much held in check with a pm impressive lightness of being and serious nature that makes this wine very special. My last bottle and as tends to happen, the last was the most impressive
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Light crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. Soaring nose of ripe red fruits, grilled meats, white pepper and iron. Dense, concentrated and immensely powerful. Full bodied with more than enough acidity. Super fresh with exceptional balance. Garrigue, kirsch, pepper, raspberries and strawberry liqueur on the palate. The finish is exquisite. For my money there is nothing controversial about this wine. Great bottle from a great producer. Exciting Châteauneuf-du-Pape that will continue to develop for at least another 5-7 years.
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Un nez un peu renfrogné, avec des dates, du kirsch, viande grillée. Puissant et riche, long et profond, plus sec que le Pegau, un peu austère en comparaison. Excellent, mais pour une première fois en trois ans, il cède le plancher au Pegau ce soir là. 93 pts
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Wood, tobacco, wild flower, berries and honey nose. Impressive CDP. Finish was really long enough. I could feel alcohl but it was feel bad. Had power and seemed could be aging just a little while. decanted for 3 hours and drank for 2 hours. Last glass was most smooth and the best. Regret I don't have this in my cellar any more.
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TN: Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): This also shows incredible well. The best bottle of the 03 Clos des Papes I had. More red fruit driven compare to the 03 Pegau, intense ripe sweet red fruits, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, rare steak, animal and earth. Exceptional concentration, intense jammy red fruit driven palate impression, nicely layered fruits, good acidity, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long finish. This also needs another decade but is already quite enjoyable.
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Decanted 3 hours. Soft nose of balsam, tree sap, and dusty cherry. Round and balanced in the mouth with dark red fruits and cherry bark coming through. Medium finish. Wanted to like this more. Everything was where it should be but the volume was turned down too low. Didn't really pop. Good pairing with Provencal short-ribs with olives and orange zest.
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Had various experiences with this wine. Old note: Tart cherry, strawberry, raspberry. No dark fruit. Killer nose. High amount of oak, but not much vanilla on nose. Still tannic, but in my wheelhouse. Light finish, chocolate. Palate coating. Evolves when open, becomes more complex. muscular yet seamless. Light coffee and leather? Love it.
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I agree what the last to reviews. Upon opening the wine is alcoholic and harsh. After 3.5 h of decanting and serving at slightly chilled temperature, the wine is open for business offering a complex nose of red creamy berries, floral notes, lavender, sweet blackberries, herbes, sneet spices, tobacco, legater and barnyard. The beautiful thing is, that it tastes even better giving the same notes on the palate in perfect balance.
Great wine, that shows why it is important to be patient with the wines from Clos Des Papes. Take for instance the 07 now, which is far from open now, but will be a tremendous pleasure from 2020 and forward.
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Fantastic cdp. Trying to get through my 2001/2002/2003 cdp we opened this this afternoon. What a treat. Southern Rhone Syrah. Strawberry, pepper, tobacco. Unbelievable. I am really hoping I have another bottle in storage.
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Fairly expensive, saved for a special occasion, and it was spoiled. Aromas and flavors of musty socks. This was from a magnum just like Rhone Ranger's note below. That is a lot of CdP to pour down the drain.
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Fantastic!! Decanted for about 3 hours. First taste on opening showed good fruit and tannins, but it was harsh. After a nice long decant, the wine had smoothed out wonderfully. Tobacco notes mellowed, and more cherry flavors came through. We loved this with braised lamb shanks. And loved the final glass after dinner. Can't wait for the other bottles.
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Initially much sweeter than expected cherry, and really improves with 1-2hrs in a decanter. Becomes darker, fuller and move savoury. Two bottles recently downed - take notes next time (!) and double-decant 90mins and cool down. There is more to come from this.
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[J&B Rhone tasting] Quite concentrated; feels much younger than an 11-year old. I suspect a 2 hour decant + beef stew would be a good match. Largely agree with Rossi - there's a green/bitter note that spoils my impression of an otherwise impressive effort. Comes across as unbalanced. I am not so sure that time is going to heal this one.
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Brownish-red in colour, quite evolved. Complex and expressive nose with kirsch liqueur, spices, tobacco. Powerful on the palate, a little dry with lots of concentration. Not the most balanced or elegant. Slightly bitter but nonetheless impressive finish. 90-92
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Very nice nose of ripe red cherries, roasted meat and spices ... wow super powerful taste of ripe red cherries, strawberries, roasted meat, oriental spices, leather... great great wine! Note: this wine showed a hint of spritz at opening and showed a bit thin and acidic... it also improved dramatically after 3 hours of slow ox!!
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Un bouquet d'herbes de Provence (basilique, laurier), avec du kirsch, de l'anis. La bouche a la puissance de l'appellation et il a besoin d'une petite demi-heure pour montrer autre chose : le soleil de Provence en bouteille! La richesse des arômes et le taux d'alcool élevé mais bien intégré (15%!), la gourmandise et la finale épicée, harmonieuse, donnent envie de d'emmitoufler dans une couverte jusqu'au printemps....fougueux et authentique, un brin cochon comme tout Ch9 traditionnel qui se respecte. Plein et si savoureux. Une des grandes réussites du millésime. 94 pts
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Evolving very nicely, integrated fruit with depth and complexity through to a lingering finish. Medium weight, clean but yet with some rustic garrique Qualities. No signs of heat, port quality or over ripeness.
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Needs air. Better on the second day where the sweetness of the grenache is more pronounced and overshadows the alcohol along with the gamey, sauvage style that is also here. Quite a local wine, the terroir speaks louder than the vintage, which is rare for 2003. I shall restrain from opening another one for at least a year.
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Porty, raisined, malty, roasted nose with some mint, liquorice and spiritous lift. Soft, broad, low acid, raisin and spice fruit cake palate. Abundant character, alcohol and penetrating, attractive flavours, but maybe a victim of the vintage if you compare it with (say) the gamey, sumptuous, precise 2001.
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05 Seven Stones, 03 Clos des Papes (The front patio): This was pop and pour and really needs air or decanting to open. It eventually did but took some time. dark ruby in color. The nose is clean with cherries, dark cherries, spice and floral notes. Full bodied. On the palate, this is lush. No heat. Plenty of depth with layers of fruit and earth. Long finish. Drinking very well now, but I would slow-ox it for a few hours at least.
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CT Tasting Group (Steve's House): Tasted Blind - Funky nose of pickled fruit and tart cherry. Light bodied, palate shows interesting notes of dried orchard fruits, kirsch, cinnamon, brown sugar and apples.
Very Good - Drinking fine now
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Terrific bottle that got better over the course of dinner. Full-bodied, rich and layered it gave off notes of licorice, cedar, black pepper and other nuanced flavors that I could not identify. Seems to be fully mature but showing no signs of decline.
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Hmmm, love clos des papes, and did like this wine. But, after double decant showed a little too much sweetness up front. Didn't pair well w coq au vin or salmon. About 2 hours and after dinner showed better, but still had a stewed fruit, pruney quality. I'm splitting hairs here bc I have high expectations from this producer, this is still really good wine. The 2001 is much better balanced. 92-94
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- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of prune. It's balanced and has flavours of butterscotch and cherry with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Very fresh and balanced. This wine at 11yrs will benefit from 2.5hrs decanting. Coming from 03 and the super hot heat in France. There is a tad bit of heat. This wine has an amazing plum sense on the nose and then fads into dark red fruit of cassis. The finish is long and polished. I think this wine will have at least 8-10 years in front before reaching dull maturity.
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A powerhouse from the hot 2003 vintage. Massive pungent nose with ripe cherry, floral perfume, blood, liquorice, spice and some alcohol heat from the vintage. Fortunately, the heat only shows on the nose. Massive body and palate, too: ripe, sappy cherry, tar, plenty of spice, vanilla, lavender and sage, lots of acidity, slightly dusty tannins. I make it sound like it was much too much, but it actually worked beautifully. Like a guy in a bespoke suit from the big 'n' tall store.
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Perfectly ripe cherries, lavender, pepper and garrigue, with a faint hint of prune in the nose. Silky, soft and plus, with a great sense of purity, there is nothing over the top, or out of place in this wine. The sweet, ripe, cherries and kirsch carry all the way through. One could quibble and with the minor sense of heat in the finish, but that does not detract from the experience. At 11 years of age, this could be in the sweet spot.
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Si quelques variations de bouteilles ont été notées au fil du temps, celle-ci était au sommet.
Un nez complexe et suave, d'herbes de Provence et de kirsch. La bouche est d'une belle puissance maitrisée, ample et épicée, avec une longue finale savoureuse et complexe. Un vin authentique, qui laisse une impression de plénitude. Magnifique Châteauneuf du Pape abouti, à son sommet. 95 pts
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Something is up with this wine. I bought two cases, and every bottle has been good, very good indeed. This is maybe the weakest - or at least weirdest showing - of this wine which starts of with hints of something vegetal and then - with air - turns darker and darker, more masculine, grave, almost Hermitage-like; on Day 2, I could have guessed Delas Bessards, this is how dark and concentrated this seems. No prunes or excessive heat from the vintage, but certainly a very different wine, and it makes Pegau seem light. Will have to pop one more soon ...
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Excellent. Big aromas of cherries, raspberries, spice, and oak dominate with perhaps some earthiness in the background (but perhaps I am just imagining it). Very fruit forward on the palette, tannins are well integrated, and there's enough acidity to balance the fruit. Paried very well with Turkish Borek.
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Surprisingly evolved in colour, orange red. Nose not too exciting, a little port-like with an impression of cooked fruit, sweet spices. Sharp acidity, a bit flat and not very complex with drying tannins but good length. Based on this bottle I would recommend to drink rather soon. Not sure if (just) a mediocre bottle or the influence of a very hot year. Probably a bit of both. Also the fact that I tasted this in one flight with an almost perfect wine didn't help. 88-91
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This wine is holding together but this ultra hot year has definitely made this a hard wine to hold together, but it is. Classic red fruit dominant, dried herbs, hints of spice.
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Drank my last bottle of this last night, along with a 2003 Pegau and a 2004 Vieux Donjon. All three were very nice wines, but the Clos des Papes and Donjon, for me, edged out the Pegau. All three were big wines, with lots of fruit, and tannins that now have fully integrated into the mix. No edges at all to any of the three. I should have waited on all of my '03's. Lesson learned, perhaps.
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Well the 2003 Cdp surely delivers, from it true Cdp nose all the way to is powerful finish, which last just about 35 seconds… drinking the 03 Cdp I experienced spices, peppers and a silky smooth finish but the sad part is I am down to my last couple of bottles
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Decanted half hour. At first, the wine had a musky smell. After some time in the glass, fantastic nose of cherries and rustic aromas began to emerge. Very well integrated and very pleasant. The palate was equally stunning. Lots of sweet red fruit, somewhat like plums and roasted fruit. Finish was very long. Great wine, very serious and very distinct.
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This was my first bottle of this warm vintage and to be honest I was a bit worried about it after reading about how 03 could vary. Could it live up to the high ratings?. The cork was 3/4 wet and the wine a bit unclear in the glass - not the best signs. At first it seemed all wrong - strang nose and taste. But about a half to one hour in the glass it opened up and all the "classic" Clos des Papes characteristics completly unfolded. What a great wine with a long long finish. Saved half the bottle and will taste tomorrow again....can hardly wait
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Robijnrood, licht troebel. Elegante geur met rode en blauwe bes, laurier. In de mond goede concentatie, rond en romig. Complete en elegante wijn, helemaal op dronk, zijdezachte tannines.
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One of my last remaining bottles (2left now)- capsule removed and this one is a leaker- first one that's a leaker... Fill was well into neck and the wine seems not to have suffered any ill effects; noticeable bricking; smells of rose, acacia, lavendar, crushed raspberries... More of this when tasted with licorice, pepper and iron; finish lasts FOREVER... Gorgeous...
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Cette bouteille m’a paru plus évoluée que d’autres prises récemment. Un nez de kirsch, du fruit un peu compoté, de la vieille confiture avec des nuances de garrigue. La bouche montre une belle fraicheur, étonnante pour le millésime, avec une gourmandise qui elle n’étonne pas du tout! Elle est un peu plus terne qu'à l'habitude, quoi que la finale après aération se révèle assez complexe et d'une finesse charmante. Pas le plus profond exemple de ce vin, mais il es tout de même fort agréable. 90-91 pts
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This was my first Chateauneuf, obviously a great bottle, big character and easy to drink, but surely not my kind of wine! Candied fruits, raisin and a touch of sweetness. It is surely a powerful son of the hot summer 2003, but after a few hours it got some kind of over-mature aromas....
For my taste it got blown away by an extraordinary Castello di Ama L' Apparita 93, so elegant and sharp. This Clos des Papes after a few glasses tasted like a bit annoying and over-riped
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Great Chateauneuf, but given the "TWA" scores, this bottle was as disappointing as on 31.03.2013 and with similar tasting notes. I have two bottles left. I will try it in some years again.
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Nez anisé, avec de la confiture de fraises, kirsh, épices, très classique quoi! Cette bouteille est parmi les plus belles que j'ai prises de ce vin, la bouche à la fois vigoureuse et dotée de tanins fins qui lui donnent une certaine finesse, étonnante dans le contexte du millésime. Un vin plein et harmonieux, authentique. 94 pts
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Oh, Eric, you lucky dog, you (14 bottles)! Tasted single-blind at a CT offline, this was my (clear) favorite in the line up of 2003s from all over the world. More (GC) Burgundy-like than CdP-like, with great freshness and riddled with hidden nuances and joyous, silken textures. In a great place now and for the next decade +. Just lovely, highly recommended
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Truffle & Chateauneuf du Pape hunting in Provence; 11/7/2013-11/10/2013 (Crillon Le Brave): Tasted at the Chateau. The most variant in scores of the CdP wines we have come across. Today it showed a more restrained face yet on the finish it was unmistakably a child of the 2003 vintage with light stewed, burnt fruit. Heavier, riper and lacked the finiesse of the 2006. Light leather, spice, cloves and Nicol at times got christmass wine aromatics. Yet somehow even though its not our style of CdP it was a good wine and we would still rate it 92 albeit we are not sure how this evolves from here. A touch dry on the finish too but even in a challenging year the Avril guys did good. 92?
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Time to try another bottle, I thought. It has the elegance you would hope fro from a Clos des Papes. The fruit is high toned and pure, the tannins undeveloped. So far, so good, but the alcohol is a little too overt for me, though is seems to become less so over time, fading to a more pleasant kirsch note. It's a bruiser, but a polished one. It's true to its time and place. I have had a few bottles of this at different times, and the experience has been different each time. I don't think now is a great time to open it. I do think the best is yet to come, and it may become magnificent, but not any time soon.
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Second Sunday Group: 1995 Pauillac vs. Pessac (Rich's & Dana's): L057 CLOS. Decanted very briefly off its sediment and rebottled before being served with dinner about three hours later. Aromas of cherry, spices, rose petals, licorice and lavender. Red fruit, spice and garrigue flavors on the palate. Bright acidity. Ends with a sour cherry quality.
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Après un vin plus puissant (Gourt de Mautens) il a moins bien paru qu'à l'habitude. Bel équilibre mais pas aussi complexe que d'autres bouteilles. 91 pts
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Nose of very ripe peperonis, red cherries, spices... taste of ripe red pepers, hint of salinity, ripe red cherries, very nice acidity, very elegant wine!!
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Nice ruby colour, open nose of dark cherry wood & moss, very balanced more cherry and pepper to the taste, drinking well but still lots of cellar life left.
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Controversial wine. This is a really good bottle. Intense white pepper, grilled plums, quinine, bloody and meaty, loaded with garrigue. Not a shy wine to be sure.
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A few years ago, this was one of my top 3 wines but the previous 2 bottles have been very disappointing. No signs of poor storage (excellent fill level and the cork was in good condition) so I'm hesitant to put this down to a faulty bottle. Ruby with slight browning. All the fruit has fallen away leaving some rustic savoury notes of roasted herbs. Faint iodine notes give a bitter edge to the finish.
Having read everyones notes I was a bit concerned. I do have an advantage of living in the UK so am less likely to have wine spoilt by a long sea crossing. Anyway, opened and breathed but not decanted about 3 hours before supper. What a lovely wine! A very elegant CDP with cherries to the forefront, a superb nose and the follow through just improved with time in the glass.
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4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Our house): L057 CLOS. I saw some notes on this lot and thought perhaps I would be immune from the problems with this wine. Boy, was I wrong. Light color with notes of plum and candied red fruit with raisiny, pruny overtones. Medium-bodied with a ripe, candied quality on the palate. Angular & disjointed. Thelostverse nailed this as Chateauneuf, and I believe was the only one to do so. I have seen other notes of the same lot from the same retailer with no issues, so I am more inclined to chalk this up to the variation problems than to heat damage...glad I only purchased two bottles of this sh!t.
4th Saturday group. Tasted blind. Tis was very light in color and showing bricking. This had a stewed character with a sherry like quality. I'm guessing this was heat damaged, so no score given. Guessed CDP.
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We all know the 2003 Rhones were a challenge with the heat. Of late, we have had the Beaucastel (fabulous), Donjon (really nice) and Clos des Papes (this wine). We were very disappointed, but not incredibly surprised. This was as we had feared....over-extracted, raisin-like, and definitely over the hill. We were cautious with 2003s, but bought some...this was what we feared.
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Après la dégustation Sauvignon Nez d'anis, de fruit et d'épices typique du domaine, avec une bouche ronde, chaleureuse, ample et de belle profondeur. Il avait un coté porto sec, un peu raisin sec, qu'il n'a pas toujours eu en ce millésime. Un domaine que j'adore et une belle bouteille, merci Pierre!
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Ripe scents of black cherry liqueur, raisins, pepper, black raspberry, spice and kirsch lead to a full bodied, packed youthful Chateauneuf du Pape. This is a very ripe, concentrated, powerful style of Clos des Papes that some tasters like more than others.
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Finally starting to come into balance. Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Nice nose, balanced and interesting palate that is a bit clunky to be outstanding. Great fruit notes and excellent depth.
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Still working through these before they mature too much more. Despite some heat, the wine's red fruits are smooth and elegant and there is depth and lenght to them. Still a relative disappointment as the heat of 2003 has caught up with wine, but enjoy now as it is not likely to improve.
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Quite a bit of expectation on this one. Somewhat reticent nose to begin with and needed a bit more airing before showing its stuff. Kirsh, hawthorn, cherry. Animal fur and mineral grew stronger on second pour. Lower acidity vis a vis the other 2003 served tonight and resolved tannin. I was really expecting hedonistic ripe fruit. This is a far more structural effort.
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Flock CdP Tasting - 2003 & Older (Jordan's): Ruby color. Nose is open for business with cherry fruit, herbs, olive and pepper. Palate also rocking. Yum - great herby and funky fruit. Good intensity. Seamless across the palate into a long finish. Classic stuff. My 3/9, Group 3/9.
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I had read reports of one shipment of this wine being heat damaged in NYC harbor. Looks like I found a bottle from that shipment. Not overly cooked but definitely cooked a bit. Premature oxidation with metallic notes and some raisin elements. Some at the table still liked it, but I'd give it an 87.
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First impression is perplexing. A reduced bouquet of game, sulfur. But then it's quickly developing in the typical "Clos des Papes"-bouquet of kirsch, other red fruits, woody notes and (not typically) game. On the palate the wine is round, easily hiding its lusty alcohol levels. But the first bottles 4-5 years ago showed much more intensity (I rated the wine as high as 99 points). Is it already over the hill or just in a mute state?
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Ripe red fruits, fresh raspberries and a hint strawberry jam, a hint of roast peanuts and leather. Beautiful lifted anise top notes. The nose becomes more and more involving with air. Rich and alcoholic in the mouth - the roasted nature of the vintage comes through. Lovely balance to the lingering finish. Outstanding wine that is show some development and should remain at a high level of drinking for another 5 years in cool cellars. This is a great success for the vintage but will not appeal to those allergic to heat and jammy notes in their wine. For me, the layered complexity and almost delicate and nuanced finish make up for that. A winner with rack of lamb with tapenade. A lot of fun and quite outstanding, in its way.
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I continue to drink these up because they are evolving so fast. This wine has already turned soft and elegant with a distinctive and dominate Grenache flavor profile. The wine even looks like a lighter color in the glass than it did just a couple years ago. The finish is still long but the mid palate lacks the punch it once had.
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Fascinating reading the divergent TNs. I see both points of view. Great nose of plum, heather and earth. In the mouth a big fruit, uncharacteristic of CdP, but probably due to the heat of the vintage. Also seems not bound together, but separate flavors and sensations. Over the course of a couple of days this evened up and the wine coalesced. Not much acidity (this won't age long), but drinking beautfiully now. Medium mouthfeel and long finish.
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This is much better than last time around. More dark fruit which seems more integrated, strawberries and raspberries with good notes of tobacco and hints of cedar. The heat of the vintage which I tasted 2 years ago seems more dissipated but there is a still a lack of acidity which makes this wine questionable for the long term. A little flat but very very nice indeed.
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Not sure about this wine. Looks fully mature in the glass - a slightly dusty nose with some heat - however there are some rich black fruit aromas behind but they are a bit stewed. On the palate acids give the wine a freshness but I am worried they are almost volatile - the whole ting feels a bot unstable. Tannins are dominant over the fruit and it finishes quickly - overall feel is very dry. Lets hope this bottle is flawed. 2004 is drinking way better at this stage. Puzzling!
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This wine is evolving so fast and I don't think it will be a great wine in another 3 years. The fruit seems to be fading, but that only brings it down from a full throttle saturated level to a more elegant, yet still overripe level. After several hours in the decanter the red fruit notes were turning to slightly sour cherry and raspberry notes and the acidity was dominating. I think I'll finish the remainder of bottles I have of this wine within the year just to be safe.
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Châteaneuf du Pape; Clos des Papes tasting plus some extra's (@ AS): A lot of cherry/chocolate bonbon in the bouquet as well as on the palate. Very ripe fruits, a lot of sweetness, but also good acidity to back it up. Soft tannin with a good bite. Someone called this a Dolly Parton wine ;-); a lot of everything.
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A cattle nose similar to Pegau’s style but with more tannins and structure. The mouth is outgoing, displaying the same portfolio with more fruit yet less intensity.
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Lovely nose of red fruit (strawberry +?) Beautiful full rich red fruit palate. Soft well rounded tannins. BIG full mouth feel. My second best won. Yummy wine.
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Minneapolis Wine Club does Chateauneuf-Du-Pape: Under performed. Raspberries, minerals, spice, floral and leather. Nice balanced wine but lacks the power of some of the other wines sampled tonight. Decanted 4 hours total and by the end of the night it was a bit diluted. I would say hold at this point and hope it improves.
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Mpls Wine Club: Chateauneuf du Pape (Irene's House): Dark red color. Quite a bit lighter than most of the grouping. 3 hr decant. Drank 1 glass over1.5hrs. This seemed reticent from the start and never really gained any steam. Nose showed garrigue, herbs, red fruits, berries. The palate seems balanced, ripe red fruits, red currants, berry, bright herbs, spice, medium bodied and a bit thin mid and late palate. Definitely underwhelming for such a highly regarded Clos des Papes.
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dark red, purple hues, in the color. earth, dark fruit, spice, on the nose. cherry, blackberry, cloves, cocoa, on the palate. high acid, medium tannins, on this dry acidic finish.
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2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tasting with GMS ringers from other countries (Rich & Peggy's House, Los Altos, CA): Color is a little bit more translucent than the other wines in today's lineup. Wow! What a nose!! Kirsch, spices, mushrooms, forest floor, some (good) brett. Palate is equally impressive, rich, without being too concentrated or overpowering. Well integrated tannins. Very long finish. Drinking surprisingly well right now and seems to have many more years ahead. Definitely my style of wine! Tasted blind and correctly guessed as the Clos du Pape in the line-up. Surprisingly not the group's favorite (in my personal opinion); I suspect that some may have been offended by the little bit of brett... My #1, Group's #4 (73 pts).
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Aromas of rose, red cherry, raspberry, and a hint of tobacco. Very red fruited.
The palate almost borders on thick and syrupy but maintains some freshness. It's texture belies its high alcohol (15%), but it hides it pretty well on the palate - I was expecting some alcohol heat but it didn't eventuate.
Flavours of raspberry, plum, red cherry, prune, and hints of licorice and tobacco. Not a savoury wine - its lush with a melange of sweet red fruits - so perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was pretty good.
Drinking well now - I'm not sure why'd you'd want to keep it any longer.
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Upon initially opening this wine, it was quite fragrant especially full of red fruits. Full bodied wine with nice sumptuous feel in the mouth. Unfortunately, this fell apart after two hours. Currently, wine is quite simple without any attributes to its heritage. Quite disappointed as wine has been stored in temperature controlled situation since release. Hopefully just bottle variation as I have a case in storage.
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L 056 SECK. Hmm I have had this wine about 20 times. This bottle, solid cork, great storage, was a hot mess. Zinfandel like, porty nose, spicy palate. There were elements to like here and elements to hate. I am worried about where this wine is headed, as I have a lot more. Not an encouraging bottle.
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Rouge pâle avec les reflets grenats qui montrent des signes de maturité, le nez est complexe, intense avec des arômes de cerise, de kirsch et d'épice où on note les épices comme le poivre blanc et la cannelle. En bouche, le vin est frais, avec des tanins souple et le corps est ample, équilibré, plein et suave - tout en douceur, belle intégration des saveurs et une belle maturité qui s'accroche encore de façon sublime à la cerise. Finale longue, aucunement vaporeuse, alcool bien intégré, petite sucrosité qui rappelle les petits bonbons. Coulant. Absolument fantastique. Prêt à boire et le sera encore pour un bon 5-7 ans à mon avis. Manquait seulement un peu de complexité pour atteindre le 95 ... peut-être dans 3-5 ans ?!? À revoir.
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Sampled 10/24/12. Another beautiful bottle that got better over a 3 hour period. Wonderful red fruits, Oak, spice, dried herbs with a 45 second finish.
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Drinking superbly at the moment. Medium deep colour showing a little maturity at rim, attractive complex nose, very smooth on the palate with a long finish.
2012 - 3rd with K-M-T-R (Au Jardin @ Botanic Garden): Alcohol :: 14.5% Opened for 4hrs and decanted in dinner. Dark ruby. I know this is a good vintage for CDP, but wasn't expect it to be showing so well, no heat or over the top sweetness. Seductive sweet currant and dried fig, sweet raspberry, kirsch liqueur, nail polished (but not the bad one you can imagine), very sweet but not over the top, very floral too, in particular roses. Full bodied, sweet entry with enormous power and richness and there is sufficient dry extract, mineral, tannin and firm ripe acid backbone to support which leads to long, dry intense finish. Very good. 92-93+
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From magnum. Opened, but not decanted two hours prior to drinking. This bottle was superb. Pue and spicy fruit on the palate. Focused and balanced mid-palate with a monster finish. While still not Rayas, this bottle came damn close.
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Sampled 8/18/12. The grenache on the nose is dense and unmistakable. A surpsingly smooth wine at this point in time, velvety at mid palate. Red fruits and red currant abound in layers with some white pepper notes. A little cedar sweet Oak in the background too. A very impressive wine that seemed to open fully in just 30 minutes in the glass, but yet the wine still feels like it is far from completely evolved. Will come back to it within a year.
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A Chateauneuf Papies-Odyssey (The Papies, Elizabeth St, London): The controversy continues.. 90 yesterday vs 94 2yrs ago ( admittedly different lots) Good bottle and cork. Deacanted for 2 hours. useful to decant. Very 2003, big wine, dense with dark fruits tighlty wrapped and full of powerfull (not harsh though) tannins. Big sweet core runs through this wine ( a 2003 issue we guess) especially on the palate and lacks the balance and elegance usually associated with Clos des Papes wines. 90-91 at best at this showing. We wonder if time will actually improve this wine or will it suffer like some hot Priorat fruit bombs that dry out rather than evolve...
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Le nez est hallucinant, garrigue, encens, cerises rouges. La bouche moins ouverte que les dernières, dense et serrée, un peu renfrognée je ne sais si le voyagement a eu un effet, car elle fut trimballée dans la journée. 93 + pts
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Deep rusty red color. Perfumery nose with herbal notes. Palate of raspberries with a touch of licorice. Seemed a bit simple and soft to us. Lacked acidity and minerality that we expected.
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It has been 4 1/2 years since I last had a bottle of this so I wanted to see what the time in the cellar has done. From reading my last tasting note, not much has changed. This was decanted 1+ hour and then consumed before and during dinner over 2 hours or so. Still a deep reddish purple. This wine, while well made, seemed too one-dimensional to me. It did have an incredible core of raspberry fruit but I was not getting any other secondary notes. It was a very smooth and soft wine with a pleasant mouthfeel but missing those extra's (spice, earth, etc.) that make a wine special. My wife and son felt the same way that it was very good but not special.
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Dinner in New Rochelle, Peter & Susanne (New York - the burbs): Seemed richer and less fresh to me than the latest bottles, I have tasted, but still, there is no reason for this wine to be controversial - it's brilliant. Very typical neuf with all the fixers, olives, garrigue, and a deep red fruit. Maybe it displays a slight bit of heat from the vintage, but still the wine is very much in balance. Peter guessed this off hand. Dinner at Peter & Susanne's, NY.
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I have to say that when the 2003s in the Southern Rhone are good, they are awesome. Niels brought this wine and I immediately recognized that I had been drinking this in his house a few years ago. The fruit is exuberant here, but it is exuberant in the good way - pure, kirschy Grenache. It is truly striking how elegant and mineral this wine is. In many ways it reminds me of the 2006 Rayas Pignan - light, elegant, earthy, almost Burgundian in style. Monsieur Avril has done a great job in this warm vintage, bravo. Very enjoyable now, but will surely last for another decade plus with ease. With Niels and AD at home.
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Très agréable, mais le vin me semble endormi en ce moment... La première expérience révélait un vin très concentré et puissant et cette fois-ci le vin me semble plus compact et beaucoup moins intense. En bouche, les épices ressortent encore une fois, la texture est agréable. Belle bouteille, mais mes attentes étaient plus grandes.
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Elegant and fresh tasting, light in the mouth. None of the violets I sometimes get in CdPs. Others got some funk, but I did not. I thought this was quite good, if a bit on the soft side, without much of an edge. Very very good.
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Intense nose, grenache fruit. Incredible attack on the palate, balanced and powerful. Very long. Does not give me the sensation of over-alcoholic, despite the 14.5%.
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Smokey black cherry, garrigue, lavender, all spice, kirsch liqueur, fresh cut herbs and intense black raspberry scents create the compelling perfume. Dense, corpulent, concentrated and packed with layers of sweet, ripe, juicy fruit, this wine grabs your attention without an apology.The wine fills your mouth and coats your palate with layers of fruit and flavor. This seems young and should only get better over the next decade or two... This is not a wine of finesse. But it is a delicious wine of Chateauneuf du Pape.
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Probably the most anxious I've ever been when opening a bottle of wine... Huge sigh of relief! Absolutely fantastic showing: elegant, classy, showing none of the litany of negative traits listed by disappointed tasters below. Here's hoping my luck holds out on the remaining bottles...
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Wow, nez de viande grillée, de garrigue, kirsh, un peu d'anis. Belle fraîcheur dans ce millésime solaire. Large, puissant mais d'un très bel équilibre. Authentique et typé, c'est l'archétype du Châteauneuf traditionnel. Superbe et déjà très ouvert. Il commence un peu tôt son plateau de maturité mais y restera sans doute très longtemps. 94-95 pts
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Classic CdP with a lifted herb, lavender, red licorice, tart berry, graphite nose. Delicately resinous, complex palate that just sails. Amazing. Totally outclassed the 01 Janasse VV next to it.
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Very distinctive style, extremely dry, with a seriously intense flavor profile that borders on painful, but stays just on the pleasure side of that line. You've got to like some funk in your wine or else stick to Cali Cabs.
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UGC 2009 Bordeaux Tasting (Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers): Light red, very burgundy like transparency. Again another disappointing showing by a high caliber producer. Very light pinot like flavors on the nose and palate. Very tight and not giving much at all. Not sure if this is in a dumb phase or just an off bottle.
SS 87 pts.
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Medium-light color. Very light, pinot-like nose, with a pleasant floral quality. Huge structure begs for at least another 10 years cellaring, but this bottle gives no indication of sufficient stuffing to last that long. Considerable heat also a concern. Very odd showing.
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Light in color but stuffed with red licorice, raspberry, toasted herb, and forestal tones. More savory than sweetly-fruited but intense and fresh. Great wine.
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When this wine was first delivered to the states, it stirred an intense controversy over the Internet. Awarded a high score by Robert Parker, some tasters called the wine a mess. I've enjoyed stunning bottles of this wine at times. On other occasions, the wine seemed like it suffered heat damage at some point. One specific friend has opened it numerous times and everyone of his bottles have been flawed. All my bottles have been sublime. At dinner last night, a guest brought a bottle and clearly, the wine endured damage along the way. The wine was light in color, flavor and density. There was an enjoyable level of kirsch, garrigue and herbs, but that is not what the wine delivers at its best. It was not a bad tasting experience, but this bottle was at best average.
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2 hour decant. Pure raspberry and grenadine nose with some stewed fruit notes and tobacco. Pure raspberry on the palate wit more tobacco but there was a distinct stewed fruit, alcoholic almost porty like taste that I didn't really like. That being said, it is still a solid wine and still developing. The vintage is showing its heat in this wine and I have to admit, it is detracting me from enjoying this as much as I enjoyed the 2003 Pegau I had only weeks prior. Long raspberry finish.
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Not as good as previous bottles I've had. Evidence of possible heat exposure with slight staining on the label. Cork seemed fine, not protruding or completely soaked through. Slight bricking at the rim, unlike the last bottle I had which was more pale. Explosive nose of crushed raspberry and blueberry on opening. More subdued after 4+ hours in the decanter. Not at elegant as I remember. More traditional CDP with a strong core of garrigue underlined by spicy tannin and mulberry, particularly on the long finish.
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TN: Heidsieck, Fontalloro, Clos des Papes, Monte Bello, Hall (Pronza's): I liked this bottle, but I could see why some might not. Purple in color. The nose is big and clean with raspberries and some black raspberries, smoke, and perhaps a floral note. Very clean though. On the palate, this fruit is very ripe and bordering on stewed. Not to the point where it was too much for me, but a bit toned down may have been better. Like most 03's IMO, this is advancing fast and while there is plenty of life and time left, I will keep that in the back of my mind. For this night, it was outstanding for my tastes.
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I'm not sure that this wine rises to the level of a "mess), but on opening and drinking the first night, ugh! Really all I got were alcoholic fumes on the nose and alcohol on the palate with muted fruit and a fair bit of tannin. Ironically, I opened this b/c of the Bob's recent comments on the BB about the 03's were open and ready for business and on a very rapid developmental course. Somewhere by the end of night 2 things were finally reasonably balanced and perhaps a long Audouze treatment all day would have done the same, but for me this remains a controversial wine and glad I "only" paid $62. In general this is not what I am looking for in CNP
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A baby- wow is this wine fragrant- it explodes from the glass. The fruit is quite remarkable and very ripe- but not overripe; it's a thick wine with alot of alcohol but not too hot; finally, it is very tannic... The tannins are much bigger than I remember. I think this will integratebbetter overtime as the fruit is so wonderful- but the tannins do bite... I like the structure hence the rating but this could go either way...
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This bottle was open along with Siro Pacenti 2003 and Prieure-Lichine 2003 trying to challange Sior Pacenti in a old world context. At the opening Clos des Papes was less aromatic that Prieure-Lichine but was the only one with some fruit at the opening tasting. Two hours later CDP show an aromatic sweet smells reminding me honey and sugar cane. It has an acceptable front palate with an amazing middle palate sweet flavors. This wine becomes great with its long finish of more than a minute long. It really numbs your aftertaste with menthol like sensations. It is a terrific wine and my opinion winner of the night besides the amazing quality found in Siro Pacenti.
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Impression only but excellent, richly concentrated, with structure to balance it up, not jammy or hot - while of course pretty concentrated. There was a lot of back and forth on this several years ago but to me, now, there is nothing controversial about this. I would say some air is helpful, the wine improved through dinner and I'd only opened it about 45 mins before.
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Nez de fruit noir, de viande grillée et de réglisse, poivre. Dense, ample et concentré, c'est complexe et si savoureux, dans le style traditionnel. Il y a un mélange de fruit noir et rouge complexe. La finale est magnifique, longue et épicée. Wow! 94 pts
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Deep garnet. Nose was slightly stewed in impression, reminds one of Amarone, overripe. Taste was similar. I wonder if this was heat damaged versus a style I don't care for in this super hot vintage. Gotten from Premier Cru and kept in active temp control since. 85?
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Always one of my favorite Cdp's, this bottle was no exception. Fragrant, perfumed nose with lots of raspberry and strawberry liqueur. Tannins are nicely integrated, still in the background, but not obtrusive in any way. Wonderful mouth feel, and very long finish. This is a terrific wine that is fun to drink, and should have years to go (but why wait?).
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Clos des Papes Tasting (Great Wine Buys, Portland OR): Blackberries and stems on the nose mix with faint smoke and pie crust scents. It reminds me of a lot of characteristics I associate with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cherries and dark grapes, with stems, appear on the palate. The pie crust from the nose shows through with the fruit on the mid palate. The tannins are full, and they quickly rise above the fruit as the finish sets in. The finish dries everything out fully, and a bit of heat is apparent.
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Light, translucent ruby. Raspberry liqueur, smoked tea, liquorice and kirsch on the nose. The purity of the fruit is really something to behold. Layered palate of blackberry, raspberry, tea with a spicy edge coming through on the long, defined finish. It's a beautifully balanced, concentrated wine that manages to remain elegant at the same time. Doesn't taste like a heatwave vintage wine by any means.
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Very tasty, blind would not have guessed it was a 2003 as it was not hot, nor jammy. Very clean and fresh, loads of raspberry, with time some rhubarb. Very young, looking forward to some others with a few more years on them to gain some complexity.
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A bit of spritz out of the bottle, and needed some time to settle. This shows the head of the year, but is concentrated and candied - a bit like the '89 Beaucastel from memory at the same age. Feels like it still needs some time, and will always be a bit of an outlier, but a very good wine to have late in the meal. A-/A
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L 058 TAIL -- It still needs a few hours in the decanter to blow away some less desirable aromatics of sweet raisins and funk, but after that it becomes a solid wine with more secondary aromas of leather, cedar, and bacon fat. Very fruit-forward, but complex enough to impress. But, of course, this bottle just confirms the extreme bottle variation associated with this wine and this vintage. Each time I taste it it shows differently.
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L 056 GUTE. Decanted 90 minutes. Lightish garnet. Nose of strawberry, cherry, earth, spice. Penetrating medium weight fruit with mineral, light acid spine and soft tannins, Almost felt fresh. Strong sense of cherry flavor, which to me did not approach pruniness, but obscured complexity a bit. Nicely balanced. Long aftertaste.
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Déception pour ce vin qui m'est apparu légèrement disjoint et au nez dominé par les raisins secs. L'alcool chauffe et je me demande si ce vin évoluera si bien d'ici une dizaine d'années.
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excellent wine. Just a powerhouse, but very elegant. Great nose (sweet liqueur) and wonderful taste/length with fruit/sweet tea. Wine has got some volume and can last 10-15 years easy, but drinks beautifully.
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Verticale de Clos des Papes Un nez sur le fruit noir et la réglisse, qui se distingue des autres et me fait penser au Beaucastel. La bouche est réglissée avec une belle texture, ample, épicée et complexe. 93-94 pts
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2003 Avril Clos des Papes CdP (RP97/WS97) 14.5%. This is just a beautiful wine. Mostly grenache. Popped and poured, no sediment at all. Cherry and raspberry on the nose and palate; clean, pure fruit. Medium body, nice length. Not terribly complex, but a joy to drink. Shows a bit of alcohol on the back end. The heat of the 2003 vintage makes me wonder about its ageability; anyone holding a few of these should definitely try one soon. RF96.
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Funny wine this. Immediately after decanting, this was all sparkle, with a clean fresh spicy and hugely aromatic nose, great delineation and purity. Then all of a sudden it was leaden footed: still rich and sweet and powerful but the freshness and elegance had gone. An evolutionary stage, or just the vintage? 89?
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Very good wine, but not great right now. May need more time, slightly tannic, acidic, fruit seemed hidden. Same vintage Pegau Reserve was much better this night.
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4th of a case - 1st 2 dynamite, the third stewed, but this one back on track - like Shirley Muldowney driving a Top Fuel dragster, pure straight line power, well controlled. Color lightening up from black/purple of earlier bottles to brick red, nose initially a bit rank, but with some air time rich pure fruit and charcoal/embers predominate. Taste a balanced blend of all things Chateauneuf, in spades. A marvelous bottle, and the right accompaniment to a roast goose.
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Paler than expected and with a slight brownish rim; initially very gamey, some leather and red and dark berry fruit; quite long and fairly intense, good acidity and some tannins, gamey in the mouth as well and with a bitter/burned aftertaste that was not entirely pleasant (which may reside, as in other CNdPs), some very dry prunes. Not at all any low acid, unstructured, fruit bomb - and I guess this will turn into a mellow, pleasant but not too interesting drink 5 years from now.
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A wonderful CDP that had the unfortunate luck to follow a 2003 M. Chapoutier Le Pavillon. Decanted for about one hour. Perfectly drinkable now, but has time to improve.
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Slightly volatile, initially, but that blew off. Pleasing Southern Rhone sweet fruit, balanced by nice savory leather and earth notes, but somehow didn't feel whole- some hollowness on the mid-palate, and less focus and persistence than I would have hoped. Still, very fine, just not a great bottle.
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Much less disjointed than last bottle two years ago. Nice nose, very full and rich palate with a bit of over the top stuff raisiny notes detracting, clean and long finish. Could keep improving I suppose and get to really excellent, as there is certainly a huge amount of presence.
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Drank together with the 2000. Medium ruby with slight bricking towards the rim. Developing nose with lots of funk and barnyard with underlying notes of raspberry and kirsch. Ripe profile on the palate with loads of maraschino cherries, raspberries and red currants. Besides the slight bit of heat on the palate, the wine remains surprisingly balanced with medium acidity and tannins. A classic CdP nose, but a ripe modern palate that borders on being confected. A tasty and very enjoyable wine with a killer nose. I’m not sure how long-lived this will be given the vintage, but based on this bottle, it could use a few more years. Excellent. 90+
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Slow O'd for 3 hours. Started out thin and raisony. Took hours to open up. Did eventually gain some weight and developed some gaminess/spiciness but overall it seemed restrained.
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A couple of cases on a Saturday afternoon: We opened this as we were discussing how fast the 03's from Europe are ageing as a general rule. This one was no exception. Lovely nose of barnyard, raspberries and violets. Complex and mature. Still plenty of life left but more advanced than the 01's. Cherries and raspberries on the palate. Nice balance. Still lots of fruit.
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An evening with Clos des Papes (Againn, Washington DC): Somewhat discombobulated. The wine was decanted for about 3-4 hours and still showed a bit of confusion as it seemed to undulate between different expressions. It needs more time to find balance and focus, but the wine is endowed with notes of raspberry, light hints of rhubarb, raisins and more of the animal gaminess that we saw in the 2000. I don't think this is in a great drinking window at the moment, but I am also hesitant mostly due to the vintage character, to age one of these for extended time in hopes of flourishing into a more complex 99. Rock and a hard place? 91 pts.
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L 056 SECK. This opened up somewhat poorly with raisins on the nose and a shallow, simple, slightly sweet and limpid palate of weak cherry. Since I have been a big fan of this controversial wine, I was a bit worried. However the more this airs the more exciting this gets. Now 3+ hours later this has transformed. A screaming nose of VERY intense white pepper, a touch of heat, and some soaring cherry. Wowza, this sucker explodes from the glass. The palate is all funky, crazy and intense with hyper-cherry and more pepper. Pure, spicy, and powerful, this struts and struts with a tannic, Mourvedre driven finish. Despite all of the pure and ample fruit the structure is much more overt now than at any point when I have tasted this. Peppery, dusty, dry, and spicy, this has a load of tannin to resolve. Clearly not a wine for everyone, but I remain a big fan. DAY 2: Well the remaining 1/3 of a bottle only improved with considerable integration of the tannins, no heat, and no raisin. This seems to have a lot of stuffing purity to go along with the overt ripeness.
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Intense nose with sweet raspberries, licorice, spices, herbs, tea. Powerful on the palate with masses of smooth tannins. Very long. Still a baby, but with great promise!
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From a half bottle. Decanted an hour prior to drinking. Quite light in colour, with some browning. Boy, this was gorgeous. Light yet impactful. The fruit was well integrated with the other components to offer a kaleidoscope of flavours. Herbs and dried flowers was most evident, accompanied with a myriad of flavours with blue and black fruits. Finishing long with a lingering black tea overtone. Intriguing, elegant and complex. Very delicious.
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Surprisingly light in color. Green nose reminiscent of fresh field marijuana, cut green herbs, olives, with a faint musky sweetness. Rich, ripe and mouth-filling, this has a pronounced tactile effect. Long, spicy, complex. Big but elegant, loved this.
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Very ripe with lots of complex fruit and spice flavors and incredible length. The most amazing thing about this wine is the color. It actually looks pretty weak- the color is pretty light, and that leads you to expect a weak wine. But the taste is a shock, as it is extremely powerful and concentrated.
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Everything I want out of a CDP. Herbs, olives, iron, tea, black and red fruit, pepper, anise, and lavendar. Sat in the decanter about 1.5 hrs. Great long finish and went well with pheasant, lamb, and pork tenderloin.
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Still tannic. Surprisingly short aftertaste. Nose still undeveloped. Probably closed up. Would expect more sweetness in this vintage, but balance is good. Disappointed, probably because of expectations from the high scores.
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L05FR, bought at the Domaine. I have had this before, in 2005 and 2008, and was impressed on both occasions. This time it's different. The nose is quite mute, a trace of alcohol and not much more. The finish is also very limited, with no hint of the long, spicy and tannic finish from the previous occasions. The fruit is still intense, but hard and pinched; raisiny, but without the sweetness of raisins. It's not in a good place right now. I don't think of Chateauneuf as closing down, but I find it hard to believe that a wine that was so good two years ago has reached the end of its development. P.S. I was out to dinner the next night, so it was 48 hours later when I returned to finish the bottle. This is much more like it - now it has body and flavour and tannin. At the very end of the bottle you get the feeling of what it has been, and what it will become; a powerful and balanced and very impressive wine. Don't sell it , and don't drink it now. Just wait.
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A little sweet with powerful red fruit and an almost liqueur-like quality. The flavors present themselves in a progression of layers in a way that is very enjoyable. Nice long finish with kalamata olives dominating. More complexity than I expected at this relatively young age. My only complaint is the slight hint of Brett on the nose and finish though this seems to often be the case for rhone wines.
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Drank a 375ml about one week ago and no formal notes, but I'd say this has potential to be a mid-90s point wine. Right now it has a spritzy mouthfeel that takes an hour or so to blow off. Rich fruit, but fortunately, given the vintage, not overripe or raisined. Not much on nuances now, but I think they're there, just not showing right now. Will revisit one of my other 3 bottles in a few years time. I don't think this will make very old bones, but should be tasty drinking in 5-10 years from now.
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Nice bold fruit. Light on the palate, but powerful like a combination of a great new world grenache and a young burgundy; combination of red cherries and raspberries, a little hot at this point, but impressive. There's garrique and a compelling chateauneuf twist on a modern wine; delicious now but with the promise to be interesting and profound later.
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Nose is still closed, but the taste is really coming alive. Deep, rich and ripe cherry flavors, with tobacco and tea. Violets, with a touch of spice. Great.
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Le nez est sur la garrigue, épices, fruits rouges en arrière-plan. La robe présente de légères traces d'évolution. En bouche, un fruité exceptionnel est en place, la rétro-olfaction maintenant rendue sur la réglisse surplombe l'ensemble. Équilibre magistral, notes d'épices raffinées, texture des plus réjouissantes. Encore 5 ans et je pense que le vin atteindra son plateau. Le nez manque un peu de raffinement le vin étant trop concentré en ce moment. Atteindra de grands sommets. Cela sera un réel plaisir d'y retremper ses lèves dans quelques années. Grand vin.
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BA had 4 hours delay so why not Drink some of Patrick's wine!
Always wanted to try this wine given the amount of diverse notes of it in CT and on the other hand the high Parker and WS rates. This was lot LO57MAUR for those who track it.
Decanted for like 30minutes. Definitely a young bottle with much more to give as it matures. Still okish to drink now, as the underlying sweetness in it masks some of the tannins. Nice on the nose too and with a longish finish. I would definitely recommend it for what its worth and would look to buy some.
Not a bad way to pass a 4hour delay in Athens
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All arms and legs - like a newborn foal that finds it difficult to stand - everything is there it's just not working together. There is some ripe fruit and some baked fruit, huge dry tannins, a wall of acidity and the burn of excessive alcohol all follwed by a medicinal, hot, burn't, dry, clipped finish. Quite unpleasant - a disjointed wine where all the components clash in your mouth. I really can't see how this will ever come round to be pleasant let alone stunning.
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Nez enivrant aux arômes de réglisse et de kirsch, avec de la garrigue, certains arômes de thé, il développe déjà pas mal de complexité. il est dense, concentré mais fin à la fois, avec cette très belle texture typique du cru et une pureté saisissante. Opulent, large et d'une densité qui tapisse la bouche, ce vin sort de sa torpeur et montre enfin l'étoffe qui lui avait valu tant de critiques élogieuses. La finale est réglissée, fine et d'une élégance étonnante pour le millésime (dont les vins montrent parfois une chaleur et une puissance excessives). Du très bel ouvrage et encore loin de son apogée. Grand vin. 95+ pts
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1st Night -- 2hr decant Medium garnet belies it's opulence. Open and seamless like a Grand Cru from the Cotes de Nuits. Straightforward cherry-kirsch with subtle hints of dried herbs. It's the layered texture and unrelenting length that is so captivating. 2nd night -- Much different, strangely more masculine. Fruit profile is darker leaning towards cassis with white pepper, kalamatta, lavender and dried thyme, finishes with a touch of cocao. Tannins aren't quite as silky but have a charming rusticity.
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Wow. Was this much different than I anticipated. Initially, it had a little spritz in the finish. After some time in the glass, things calmed down, and it was a rich, ripe, and wonderful wine. Paired very well with food. My recommendation is that you decant it for a couple of hours before drinking. It really improved with time in the glass.
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From a 375. Licorice, menthol, eucalyptus, meat, stones, candied red fruits (cherry, cranberry), hints of orange peel. Too much alcoholic heat. Flavors are heavy, roasted and over-ripe. Acidity feels low, at least in relation to alcohol and (stewed) fruit. Very healthy tannins. A burst of jam on the mid-palate which dissipates almost immediately, leaving lots of grippy anise and bitter herbs on the medium (20-30 second) finish. Much more aromatic after 3 hrs, and added richness, datker flavors on 2nd day. Beautiful color. Nice silky texture, at least on entry. But overall unbalanced, and lacking in precision and depth. Not corked, and no other apparent "flaws.". Just not that good.
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This bottle may have been flawed somewhat. As compared to previous bottle drunk over a year ago, the intensity, aromas and flavors were still there however the acidity had gotten out of balance. Could still recognize the great wine, but not balanced as it was previously.
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YES. Still great [Lot No on Capsule was L058 CLOS] . See http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?Table=Notes&szSearch=Clos+des+Papes+Ch%E2teauneuf%2Ddu%2DPape .
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2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Frankrijk, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) Kleur: Diep donkerrood, iets oranjebruine randje Aroma / bouquet: Open en uitgesproken. Opvallend rijp, rogge / rozijnen of krentenbrood, noten, pistache en maresquin-kers. Ook wat venkel, drop en laurier. Smaak / Afdronk: Prachtig gerijpt, zelfs al een wat oxidatief karakter, zacht, duidelijk rijp, ontwikkeld en jammy, rozenbottel. Sigarenkistjes. Veel - wat plakkerige - tannine, veel zuur, veel alcohol, klein zoetje en een opvallende houttoets. Algemeen / potentieel: SUPERLEKKER MET DRINKBAARHEIDSWAARSCHUWING. Nu werkelijk geweldig drinkbaar. Maar wat mij betreft maakt deze jaargang - hopelijk deze fles - een iets te vermoeide indruk om nog heel veel potentieel te hebben. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 88/100
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L054JUNG - The heat that was evident in youth is gone. This was the best bottle yet and seems like it will continue to improve. Still needs a couple of hours to show its best but very good right from the beginning. Day 3 - A glass left over is amazing. Soft and smooth on the front end that continues to build to a long finish 97 pts tonight.
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I have not been very happy with the '03 vintage in general (Rhone & Bordeaux) due to the over-ripe character of many of the wines from this freaky vintage and this wine has not changed my opinion. The wine is very sweet, borderline cough syrup and yet it has very little body to it, mostly acidic with very weak tannins. I prefer Nyquil as it is cheaper, tastes better, has more body and the results kick-in faster. I have had the opposite results with '03 Bordeaux which I find for the most part is also very sweet but with huge tannins and low acidity. I rated my last bottle higher, but that was after a long day of drinking, so probably benefited from my purple tongue. Forgot to check the lot #, but with the '07 vintage here, I am not buying any more '03 Rhones.
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Surprisingly dark colour for Clos des Papes, but not incredibly deep. Fades gently to a paler rim with a touch of garnet. My first sniff said "woodsy", but after a while this came into focus as clearly and incredibly balsamic (in the best sense). Later it became more complex with notes of raisin, licquorice, very ripe gummy stems, spice and always with a suggestion of latent heat and power. Perhaps roasted is the nearest I can get. In some respects this is a mature bouquet, as there is nothing remaining of fresh fruits and yet something suggests more evolution is likely. On the palate this is similarly powerful and sui generis. Entry is big and quickly broadens into perhaps plum-like fruit. The weight of alcohol and extract shows itself quickly and the texture is almost viscous throughout. The roasted, balsamic and spicy flavours are reflected in the palate. I also noted a distinct note of salinity, something which added to the melange and makes the wine quite distinctive. Surprisingly the tannins are sophisticated and fine (I've had plenty of '03s which are problematic in this respect) and are easily absorbed within the wine. The finish is long and quite warm, but I do not note the telltale alcoholic 'sting in the tail' of many other '03s. Certainly this is approachable now and in many ways has evolved rather rapidly. But I do sense that this wine has a future, provided the heat remains under control as the fruit recedes. A wonderful and true expression of the vintage. It was bakingly hot that year even by the standards of the region.
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WOW BUY. This is still young. It has that great CNF complexity of baconish, leathery flavours but, I would say, it has a ways to go in terms of development. I have 8 bottles left and will not revisit for another year. Clos des Papes has that ligher CNF style, characterised by more Grenache I guess, and like Rayas it always amazes that a light-red wine can deliver such an alcoholic punch combined with some real taste. At present, this will make your guests say, wow this is good; but save it and it will get much better. [Lot No on Capsule was L058 CLOS]
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Grenache Smackdown (Wally's, Arlington Heights): nose: has a real cool and laid back sense to it with well balanced tones of black fruits, roast beef, liqueur, and licorice tones. Great depth and balance on the nose that is really enticing
taste: succulent medium feel with really good tannins and well balanced tones of black fruits, liqueur tones, licorice tones, and a good amount of dark red cherries move well across the palate
overall: Comes across as young and in an in-between stage, it had excellent aromatics and depth, but they were hanging back a bit and not really giving their full effort at this time
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After all this time, I finally ran into a chance to try the Clos des Papes from a pristine bottle, white-market import (Julienne Imports, Chicago), lot 057 BVVI. And guess what? I still dislike this wine and can't fathom the high scores people have (continued) to bestow on it. Nose on this bottle is a bit high-toned, with cranberry and beeswax, musky aromas. with more air, a gentle aroma of shellac displaces the brioche note. I find none of the harsh iodine and maple syrup I was finding in my own (nine) bottles of Clos des Papes, but certainly not a particularly aluring nose, considering that I normally love this producer. But the problem is evident on the palate, which is harsh and disjointed with an upfront note of brioche (normally a positive thing) but taken to a degree that is positively aggressive. The mid palate seems short and rough, and the finish is a bit bitter. Noticably hot, too. The fruit is dominated by these odd flavors just as the nose is dominated by relatively unthrilling aromas. My conclusion? The bad bottles I've experienced were indeed bad, in the sense that they took all of these aspects even further. There can be little doubt in my mind that the 056 SECK bottling was from a different selection of barrels. Yet it was the same wine. Here, in the 057 BVVI, those flaws aren't as exaggerated. But still very much evident.
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First nose: port and raisins. After that an amazing development. Instense rosehip, spices (esp. cloves), candied cherry, amazing complexity and length. Tobacco, cedar, leather, cranberry. You just can't stop tasting. Very good stuff!
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I was anxious to taste with all of the hype surrounding this wine. I see by CT notes that there is a lot of bottle variation . This bottle was very port like, ripe, pruny, and very hot on the nose and palate. Not to my liking. The palate was very fruit driven with soft tannins. Interesting. This bottle will not age well in my opinion...It appears that other bottles described are much better.
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Since there has been so much reported variability on this wine I keep tabs of the lot number from the foil. This was from one of the supposedly problematic lots L 056 SECK, but it was far from problematic. Nothing roasted or pruney or Zin-like on the nose. No heat. Quite reticent at first, but a 30 minute decant shook that free to release glorious waves of Grenachey goodness. Pure, glorious, well-fruited, yet with fresh, classic CNDP flavors going on. Peppery and vibrant, this was at its best with some rotisserie chicken. I have had some bottles show better, and if anything this is a bit sulky and closed, but I was glad to check in on it for the first time in 18+ months.
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April 2009 FWR Tasting (FWR, Toronto, Canada): Light-medium ruby colour. Crystal clear. Nose of kirsch, raspberry, currant, alcohol, herbes de Provence, brown sugar/molasses. Full-bodied, a little roasted, with prunes, raisins, raspberry coulis, and herbes de Provence. Long finish, ~45-50s, with more raspberries and raisins. The alcohol was as little more prevalent that I would have liked. I hope with more aging the alcohol is soaked up by the wine so it shows a bit better balance. This is a very big wine.
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Listerine anyone? Nothing on the nose. My tongue was tingling like I had been to the dentist. Not sure what others see here. I am definitely a seller and am concerned about all of the 2006 & 2007 I bought based on how over rated these are.
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Wineflock - Worldwide Grenache (Boka): Lovely nose of ripe round black fruit with lovely spice and pepper notes. Nice big rich bright black cherry fruit - nice. 94-95 pts.
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Worldwide Grenache (Boka - Chicago): A fascinating wine. Flamboyant yet 'traditional ... new world texture but very old world flavors. Nose is rich with red fruit and loads of herbs. Full bodied palate with concentrated fruit that has good lift and freshness. Pronounced game, earth, leather and herbal notes add complexity. Excellent.
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2003 CdP tasting at Rothmann's Steakhouse, New York. So 2003 Clos des Papes on the nose. Macerated cherries, hot, alcoholic. At first it seems totally off, but with a bit of air this gets better. The tannins are prominent in my view so I am in the camp who believes this is way too young to drink now. Others at the table disagree and believe there is only one way for this wine and its downhill.
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Berry interesting. This was very good from the start with some primary fruit dominating. It began to close a little within an hour and then needed another two hours to really strut it's stuff. There was just a hint of mocha but some really fresh pine action going on. Some tannin was there providing structure and a good dose of acid balanced things out.
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Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the '80s and '90s (Tabla, Portland, OR): From a split. Open 2-3 hours. Big, but not too complex on the nose, expressing cake bread. Very reductive. Seems closed to me on the mid-palate and finish, but is very smooth. Not at all over the top as I expected from the vintage. Very smooth and pure throughout, but again this one needs much more time to aerate, or better yet, a decade plus in the cellar. Pleasant now though, just not overwhelming.
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US/French Grenache (Ox Restaurant, Jersey City, NJ): I liked this, but not as much as in Spring. It was more consistent with traditional CdP, than the what I perceived the last one to be. Nice wine. Lots of fruit, but not as new world sweet as US grenache, for example. The color is cloudy and there is dirt on the nose.
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Popped and poured. Started out promising enough with classic CdP aromas of pepper, warm stones, scorched earth, garrigue and cherry liquor. Unfortunately, a bit of a let-down on the palate. While letting the wine sit in my mouth, the alcohol seemed quite obvious. The fruit seemed slighted roasted as well. A 95 points nose, an 85 point palate... let's split the difference...
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bot from PreCru. virtually no smell or taste other than some faint fruit and a bit of brown sugar. mostly alcohol on the palate and not much else. don't know the lot number. 2nd day - some cherry licquer and harsh alcohol, quite a bit of brown sugar on the palate and lots of hard edged alcohol. not my thing and I'm at an absolute loss as to what the ruckus is about this wine.
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A dark a brooding beast of a wine, this wine is clearly just a toddler. It's difficult to asses this wine in terms of current drinking pleasure. I like more mature elements, yet also enjoy wines with baby fat. This had neither. It seems to have significant material but for the most part this wine seems to be in need of many years to sort itself out. I have a feeling this wine will be stunning when it comes out of it's shell. I'm guessing at least 2018. There is definitely a sense of balance, though a touch of heat is noticeable on the back end. Current aromas and palate notes are of little value right now.
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When I opened it, I was concerned because the cork was very soft, there was a little leakage at the end you could see after removing the foil, so I was worried I had a bad lot. My 6 bottles are lot L05FR. There's a lot going on here. Need to decant for a few hours if not overnight. Tight and slightly acidic when first opened. Two to three hours later, it was unbelievable. Almost even better the next night. Very aromatic, fills your mouth with fruit, very smoot tannins show up after 10 to 20 seconds. All in balance. WOW.
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HUB Tasting (Custom House): Blind. Full red color. Forward nose of red fruit and barnyard with a hint of heat. Big spicy black fruit with hints of tar and black spice.
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L056 LAUB sourced through Wines of France. Incredible complex nose of red fruits, soft spices and a little cola [not the type associated with a volatile type defect]. Silky smooth in the mouth with a hint of rich blue fruits giving away to warm spices and a wonderful long smooth cherry liquor finish.
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This bottle was stunning. Drank around the latern while camping, it stopped everyone in their tracks, amazing floral nose, juicy fruit and licorice notes with a long cherry finish.
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Chateuaneuf in ATL 9/28/08: The bottle Dr. Don left for us. There was a lot going on here. I wasn't crazy about a lot of it. I think I'd like to try this again in five years. It was just too packed for me right now. Candied fruit, sweet cherries, some garrigue. But it borders on being OTT. Bit of alcohol poking about. A few at the table liked it, but some skeptics on this one.
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Very floral and fragrant on the nose, as well as slightly alcoholic. Not the best example of this wine...I have had better bottles. Perhaps this one is slightly shut down. A long finish, also slightly hot. Still tannic but with good fruit. Should have a long life ahead of it. What will this turn into?
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Clos des Papes offline (St John): A powerhouse of concentrated sweet fruit. Powerful, dense and full bodied. Recognisably Clos des Papes, but with added muscle. Very ripe, but not roasted. Incredible intensity. Very tannic, spicy and long. Does this reflect a change of style, or the vintage - the latter I think. Best left alone for a long time. exc?
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Clos des Papes Offline: Very fragrant, floral, scented high notes. Kirsch, slightly lifted. Full certainly, but actually quite balanced. Possibly a little hot on the finish but really just big. Hedonistic but possibly a touch simple. Difficult to predict the future. ***?
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If this bottle was not flawed then it is simply a giant rip off. Tasted like what you could get from Franzia. I don t even want to talk about it anymore.
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It's sad to see that there have been so many subpar bottles of this wine, but luckily this one showed the wine's best qualities. The color is a medium dull cherry red. Upon opening, this is already very expressive yet continuously evolving, with a somewhat candied first impression that shifts towards dill/sage/oregano-seasoned raspberry/cherry, floral notes that come across as entirely natural and not artificially perfumed, and a faintly saline note. In the mouth, sweet but stony, with an almost lipsmacking quality. Seamless in texture but with furry tannins, showing both persistence in the glass and length on the finish. The breadth and depth here is stunning, with zero heat or volatility detracting. At its best, a classic primed for a long life.
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Really was looking forward to trying this, but this is now the second bottle that did not live up to expectations. Decanted for an hour. Nice nose, color etc. but was too acidic for my taste. Is not nearly as balanced as the 03 pegau and other CDPs. Hopefully this will change over time but not confident. Too bad since I have so many botttles.
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Blech. Pruny and over the hill, pretty alcoholic and just not nice. Tried decanting for several hours, but still nothing. We dumped it and drank Saxums instead! Purchased from Premier Cru, don't know lot ID...
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This wine needed way more time in the decanter than it got. That being said, it still showed its fruit and spice beautifully. Displaying a slight sweetness on the edge, it was balanced well by the huge spice.
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Jeb Does Minneapolis, Round 2: CDP (Heidi's, Minneapolis): Third time I've tasted this. We searched in vain for the lot number; for what it's worth this bottle was sourced through the "white" retail market in the US, not the gray market. Pretty compelling stuff. Very ripe, but showing no heat. Layers of red fruit, garrigue, roasted meat, and minerals, with a super-long finish that reveals saturated ripe tannin. Great purity of fruit, with no hint of VA or surmaturite. This is actually quite balanced, dare I say elegant, in spite of the powerful fruit.
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Wow. Was prepared to hate this wine, as a hot vintage overipe failed science experiement, but that was not to be. Outstanding aromatics of red fruits, Provencal spices, and garrigue, really compelling. Cherries, kirsch, wow! Ripe, yes, but did not stick out or show the alcxohol I expected. Big wine, yes, but a pleasure to drink with BBQ Brisket and ribs. Palate is full bodied, intriguing mix of kirsch, cherries, spices and herbs, and earthiness. Quite impressive. Not flabby, immense, but has enough acid to hold it all together. Long finish. No sense of how ageworthy this will be, but it is wonderful right now, why wait?
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Drank at home from a 375ml bottling [L05DB] with Rachel and Lionel, had some Amsterdam cheese on the side that went nicely. After all the talk about this vinatge, I thought I should try it and weigh in with my opinion, especially given that I am particularly partial to Clos des Papes. Suffiice to say, I found this a real joy to drink, especially given the plonk I have been having recently. This must be one of the "good" bottles then and, boy, what a good bottle it was too.
I poured some into a glass and decanted the rest. The nose was stunning from the outset. A touch of brett, traditional CdP tones of barnyard and leather and distinct whiffs of alcohol (cue fear of over-cooked, bad wine), but that was followed by layer after layer of dark, ripe cherries and secondary aromas of bramble / garrigue, dried herbs and pepper and a touch of roast-beef blood. Beautifully complex. I was hoping that the palate would follow through on the nose. It was a bit tight initially, but still very good. Medium bodied, but rather dense, it attacked with a burst of heat (cue fear again), high acid, almost a bit tart (a real suprise for me here) and firm tannins. However, there was real intensity and power in the ripe fruit that underlay that firm backbone, dark cherries wrapped in leather, and a really long finish with spice, leather notes, cedar wood some roasted flavours. I started smiling with glee.
After an hour in the decanter, the secondary flavours faded slightly, but I am glad to say that the alcohol heat dissipated as well, leaving a sweet, ripe and rather higher-toned nose of cherries and rasberries - almost kirsch like. The palate had taken on licorice flavours, and the wine finished more with a ferrous minerality, more red meat and the lingering flavour of haw flakes. More roasted notes too. After two hours, the roasted notes, any sourness and hints of brett subsided, and the wine took on really rich, ripe cherry and rasberry flavours, with just a hint of raisins here and there. The palate was plush and layered, while the tannins and acid became a little more noticeable, it was all very seamless. Lovely.
Overall, I think this is a really, really good wine. Not your typical Clos des Papes, but then neither is the monumental 2005, both wines being denser, thicker and rather riper than what I am used too from this producer. I think the 2005 is a shade better, given its massive structure and super-fresh acid that gives a tremendous sense of balance to the rich fruit. Still, I enjoyed every bit of this excellent bottle and, considering the secondary flavours that were there when I first opened the bottle and the firm backbone of the wine, I think that it will be a real beauty in 5 years time.
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Cheryl Does France and Doesn't Hate It (Skinner's Loft, Jersey City, NJ): My wine nemisis predicted on Saturday that I'd like this if I ever had a chance to try it and, lo and behold, here it is at a tasting on Monday night. It pains me to admit it was pleasant. This was consumed after the Pegau and I found it fresh, bright and fruity. It wasn't the same wine with food. It was unenjoyable, in fact, but prior to and after food, this was enoyable. For those who are interested in the corkage issue that some bottles from this vintage have had, this bottle was from the following lot: L056, LAUB.
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[L056LAUB] Well ! I'm starting to become a believer again. This is the second bottle in a row that has performed for me. Perhaps the earlier bottles were just in a weird dumb phase. In any event, this one is more like what it should be. Still not up to the level of the Pegau Reservee (a high bar indeed), this opened up to reveal a pleasant nose of cherry, cloves and brambles in a ruby robe. Silky, lush mouthfeel and decent finish. I hope this continues to improve...
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Dinner w/ friends (Le titi de paris): Fantastic and drinking so well so young. Very perfumed. a little alcoholic but a very nice big wine, with a finish that went on and on. This is a great wine that will only get better
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L054 JUNG. Starts out spritsy when opend (86). After a half hour the spritz blows of and there is good fruit but seems chard and taste like a gamay(88). Three hours in it really comes alive(92+). If you open them now make sure you have enough time to decant for at least a couple of hours.
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back to form for the joke, or cdp impersonator that is the 057MELO batch...tonight was a base level cdr, far removed from other batch labels that I have tried, or should I say consistent with the crap that I bought with this designation from PC...
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finally a bottle of the L057 that was not a cheap cdr impression, what is going on with this producer...fantastic, but will never buy another bottle due to the enormous bottle variation, out of 6 bottles, 5 were plonk, and one was very good, but not spectacular
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Clos des Papes Vertical (Tribeca Grill): Looks like we got one of the good bottles of the '03. It really is a whale of a wine with tons going on. Kirsch, kirsch and more kirsch on the nose mix with a tasteful melange of asian spices, vanilla and tar. I'm a bit of a sucker for cardamum in wine, but the combination of the spice and vanilla got me thinking about oak and I really didn't want to go there. It had wonderful presence on the palate, being weighty but not heavy, with dark raspberry framed by silky tannins and a lemony acidity. It is of monumental size and is really exciting to drink, but it isn't quite at rest right now and all the pieces don't completely make sense in the context of the wine. The '05 seemed a touch more precise. Let it sit a while and cross your fingers you didn't get a bad batch.
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Clos des Papes Vertical (Tribeca Grill, NYC): Very big with tons of fruit upfront. Huge nose. Lush in the mouth. Great bottle although I prefer the more elegant traditional vintages.
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Decanted for 2 hours prior to rebottling for the trip to the restaurant (Shaw's). Decanted there and was last of 4 bottles (a Champagne and 2 white Burgs.) the 5 of us drank. Bouquet and flavors got bigger with time. Most everything you'd want in a CdP and all in balance. Some might look for more "power" for a higher rating. The flavors are complex, but subtle, not slap you up-side-da-head...which is fine with me.
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Blind Pairs @ Howard's (Old Greenwich, CT): I think I might have decanted this too much (9 hours). When I first opened this up, the nose showed nice ripe red fruits, cracked black pepper and hot stones. A lot of the freshness disappeared after the lengthy decant, leaving noticable acetic acid, cough syrup and alcohol. Got a bit overbearing after a while. The score reflects an average of my impressions from both the time I opened it and 9 hours later.
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Decanted for 24 hours. Much improved on the previous bottle. Packed with fruit, specially blue berries, Lovely long finish. It is going to need many years in bottle.
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Dinner at Kev & Vals (Kilmacoo House): We decanted the CdP for 2 hours. Seemed closed for now. Very little aromas and thin on taste. Drank with a Brane-Cantenac which was great. The wine didn't match the complexity of the Margaux. Drunk with the finest fillet steak and home made chips. I cannot see how James Suckling can rate the Margaux 93 and James Molesworth rate the CdP 97. Should be reversed. There are a number of other people's Tasting Notes with bottling inconsistencies. I hope that is it.
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This wine is bizarre. The first time I had it..I hated it. It was closed down, thin tasting and what you could taste had a burnt, candied watery syrup flavour to it. This time I like it but what a strange tasting CDP. The fruit is much more noticible now. It still has a candied sweet aspect to it that does not remind me of CDP but it's actually quite pleasant now. The tannins bring it more into balance. I'm letting this decant overnight to see what happens.
After decanting overnight: Finally got a nice nose of leather, a little garrigue and cherries/cherry pie. There is a little alcohol on the nose as well ( it's still not a big nose and that should count against it). The taste is of sour cherries going into sweet cherries at the end. Slighly mouth drying tannins are decent. Not a huge finish. My first impression of this last night was promising but now I'm back in the Ho Hum camp. If I tasted this blind and given a price that I'd purchase it for I'd say around $30ish. It has sour cherry/cherry pie flavours that slap you in the face, a decent mouthfeel, but restrained nose and finish. Some alcohol that is not that attractive. This is still closed down.
If the nose started to be much more expressive and pronounced , fruit became less sour, deeper and sweeter and everything lingered more at the end then it would merit a higher score. Reminds me of a Barolo but I liked the 2001 Abbona Pressenda Barolo I had last week better and it's around $55/bottle
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Mixed wines (Terkels appartment): Dark red color with a purple hue. Delicious nose of spiced raspberry, strawberry, herbes de provence and dryed fruit, prunes. On the palate it has a lot of fruit sweetness first with raspberry and strawberry. But remains elegant and extremely delicate. Some bitterness and tobaco on the midpalate, before a long finish with herbs, pepper and prunes. Dry on the finish, but very mouth watering due to fruit acidity. Very smooth and elegant, and superb balance makes this a fantastic wine.
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L057 MELO is not the same wine as the other Clos des Papes!!!!! Repeat, THIS IS NOT THE SAME WINE AS OTHER HIGH SCORING CDPS. Thin, alcohol smell, minor fruit, plus a color that was several shades lighter than the L057 CLOS right next to it?,....we tasted this blind against an L057 CLOS, no comparison. The CLOS was far superior, by 10pts or more. I can not imagine how this is the same wine. The cork was perfect, no signs of any heat damage, etc...The enormous variability of these wines will stop me from buying again
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Well, my faith is restored. Lovely nose of garrigue, raspberry and plums. Smashing stuff compared to the last few bottles I've had. Still not an ethereal experience; there's room for the nose to be more explosive, for the palate to be more intense, and the finish longer, but a good showing. In view of the recent bottles I've had I can definitely confirm this is one inconsistent wine...
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Shoshana's Birthday Wines!: 19.16 from Seckfords. Cork. 4 hour decant. Dark red but tranlucent. Red fruit, leather and cedar on the nose. Intense and powerful palate of red fruits, chocolate and a great long finish. Not yet opened my case of 03' but cant wait to see how this baby will develop.
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L057 HART - I just had to try this wine seeing all the recent tasting notes and holding the 03, 04 and 05. Decanted for 2 hours at cellar temp I was surprised there is not much of a nose. I mean we had to sniff deeply to get some light rasberry notes. On the palate it had some sweet cherry fruit and over the evening was a pleasure to drink but not the blockbuster I was expecting. The tannins were not tight so I do hope that this improves with time in the bottle. Maybe it really is just shut down.
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Very nice nose of pepper,cherry, floral, leather and earth. Mild funk that blows off on the palate along with earth, Asian spices, cherry, and leather notes. Medium and concentrated finish. Should drink well for a few decades. Currently 93
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L 056SECK. After tasting so much Clos des Papes earlier this week, I was revved up and itching for some more. Alas, the other day I opened a 2001, and it was corked. So tonight I popped a 2003 ... which was so heinously corked it was SCARY! Not to be deterred, I went back to the well one more time for another 2003. This one had a poor looking cork which broke in half as I tried to remove it. I was worried, since another bottle from the same case earlier this week was oxidized due to a split in the cork. If you're keeping score, the first two bottles from the case were flawed with #3 looking tentative. Fortunately the dry cork was a red herring. The wine was strong, young, reticent, but with a stunningly plush and deep mid-palate. Aromatically this bottle was holding back a lot, but the depth of intensity. Mmm, sweet cherry, raspberry, garrigue, white pepper, this stuff just rocks with such purity and focus. DAY 3: Alas, I had one glass left which I simply corked up and left on the counter, but I didn't get to it on day 2. Today I decided to see if it was still alive. Nose shows some more action now, a little pruney and roasted but not unappealing. The palate, wow the palate, this is very structured both with tannins and acid. Mmm, the waves of garrigue come at you, very classic flavors now, a little more crunchy and Grenachey than on day 1. I am amazed this is not only alive but in fact improved.
I have little fear about these L 056SECK bottles ... simply bad luck with corks on the first two.
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057 MELO- Blahhhhhh- NR, or this batch just sucks...., upon opening there was a crack extending the length of the cork that was surrounded by wine. Decanted, and prayed.....after 2 hours, the fruit was gone and all that was left was a tar covered oak chunk.......
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Clos des Papes Shootout (Seattle, WA): L 054 JUNG. Mmm, some funk/bretty notes, spice, a great nose, really ripe. Wow, this is great stuff! Stupendous wine that has it all with an extra oomph, very dynamic, vibrant, white pepper, funk, power and vibrancy. I incorrectly guessed this as the 2005, and no taster picked it as a 2003. Hands down the favorite wine for each taster.
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Clos des Papes Shootout (Seattle, WA): L 057 CLOS. Rather mute at first with notes of iron and rust dominating for quite a while. Eventually this starts to yield spicier notes on the nose that struck me as a bit more Zinfandel than Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Wow, big disconnect between palate and nose, super zippy, vibrant, intense, this is C*R*A*Z*Y. This just pounces all over you, very tight relative to the rest of the wines, but after 75+ minutes it really started to open up. In the end my notes were pretty simple: "This rocks!" Amazing minerality and spice on the finish. All four tasters correctly picked this as a 2003. 95+ points for me and gaining very rapidly after a slow start.
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Clos des Papes Shootout (Seattle, WA): L 056 SECK. Hoohah, fun and reasonably expressive nose right from the get go! Bramble and funky-dunky Grenache pop right of the glass. Definitely smells more 'dense' as it airs with string notes of raspberry jam and a definite overripe element on the end of the nose. Mmm, this is weighty and spicy with super vibrancy, white pepper, dynamic, intense, very nice! Wowza, there is LOTS of minerality on the finish with tooth-gripping structure, on the verge of 'uncivilized' at this stage and definitely almost over the top. Every taster correctly picked this as a 2003, and given some of the complaints of the vintage and wine, this was most in that neighborhood. Despite that, I had this at 93 in my book. Around the time we were comparing notes (but before we had unbagged) I started to notice a increasingly troubling edge of volatile acidity on the nose. At this point I recalled that one of the 2003's had an unusual cork with a vein/split running 1/4 of the way up the bottom end of the cork on one side (and wet into the middle of the cork). Right then and there upon smelling the faint whiff of VA I showed the group the cork and bet that when unveiled that this would in fact be a 2003 AND the bottle from whence that defective enclosure had been removed. I further postulated that the VA was a sign of some oxidation and that it was an enclosure issue. Who knows if my theory was correct, but when we unbagged later I was indeed correct in identifying the bottle. I am rating this as NR since I think it was flawed as a result of a poor cork. That said, my notes clearly show that I enjoyed the wine a lot for the first 60-75 minutes. By the way, all four tasters correctly guessed this as a 2003.
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Picked this up in Ireland for €50. Worth it, would definitely benefit from more bottle age. Also needs to be decanted at least a half hour. Very nice. Not as good as the '01 I had a while back though.
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Given the controversy I decided to open the first of these tonight. Color is a lightish ruby. Nose was muted on opening and has remained so for four hours... actually, I'm getting less from it right now than before. I find garrigues, red cherry... I am biased by so many TNs that I might think I find a hint of reductive or scorched aromas. No raisons / prunes on the nose, nothing chemical. The palate is light-bodied, and, amazingly, seems to taste of very little. A bit of fruity sweetness makes a mild impression. No raisons, etc. Fairly hollow middle. An unremarkable touch of heat. Brief finish. If I had this blind I'd say a nice enough Cotes du Rhone. Given what it is I say it's closed (man, I sure hope so!) All things considered it gets 88 points for its showing tonight. Lord knows what will happen in the future. ---LOT # L054 JUNG
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Dinner at Beaune's w/Jeff. This is too young to drink right now. Very one dimensional, but what a dimension it is. Lots of life left and will turn into a beauty in about 5 years or so.
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the all over ratings on this wine fascinate me. this reminds me of a lighter version of the 2003 Mon Aieul. Very very ripe for clos des papes and not as typically elegant, glad I had the opportunity to try, but I prefer the more classic years, although based on the structure here, I would love to taste this in 10 years
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This wine displays very many good elements, but lacks harmony and integration. The nose displays red fruit, cedar, and leather. The palate is rich, but disjoint, showing a bit too much heat, alcohool, and oak, which is not yet well integrated. The finish is better, with a classic CdP profile, but with echoes of the heat and the alcohool. Judging by the other reviews, this wine just lost its baby fat and the sweetness of its youth and is now in an unfavorable stage. Let us hope that the elements will become better integrated in about 3-5 years' time. In the meantime, the 2004 is drinking much better.
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My 40th and some notes...Bordeaux, CdP, Quilceda, etc. (Seattle): Beautiful strawberry notes with some barely evident herbs and lavender on the nose, but this drinks with some reticence. Fresher and livelier than the Pegau (and Mon Aieul for that matter), but the fruit is peeking around the corner as opposed to announcing itself like the Mon Aieul.
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Impressive but not overwhelming showing this time. I'm beginning to believe that there is tremendous bottle variation associated with this wine. Perhaps a hint of heat damage. This bottle was undrinkable the second day.
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This sports one of the darkest colors I’ve seen in a young Chateauneuf. Intensely concentrated with massive layers of ripe, dark and peppery, ripe red fruit. Full bodied, alcoholic and richly concentrated, I'm not sure why this wine invites all the controversy.
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Either this has lost its baby fat really quickly, or this is a different wine than I had a year ago. Nothing like the thick lush essence of raspberry liquer, this bottle drank more like a classic CndP, but with a bit of heat. Moderately astringent with drying tannins, this was really showing the leather and dried cherry notes. High strung and clearly in need of quite a few years. I cannot rate this higher as the alcohol showing through significantly reduced the enjoyment.
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Deep crimson color and moderately translucent. This wine opens slowly to reveal a quite gorgeous CdP. The nose is deep with dried cherry, red and black licorice. The palate is super ripe but well balanced beetween the fruit and structural components. This comes across as more of a hedonistic pleasure more than an intellectual wine but at the same time this is no froo froo ooze bomb. Will be fun to watch over the coming decade.
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Great nose, disjointed and clunky palate with good length. Obviously has a huge amount of fruit, but is not as good as most of the ten other vintages of this I have tasted at present. Hopefully will gain complexity with time and lose the hit-me-over-the-head aspect.
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Pretty damn tasty stuff; however it really was much richer the second day as I poured a glass with lunch and debated finishing the bottle. Karen had a glass at dinner and was very pleased. The wine seems to lack the punch Pegau offers, but still shows vibrant and rich fruit, great backbone and enough power to go the distance. I will be looking out for the future vintages.
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I finally popped on of these to judge for myself and I side now with those who wonder what all the fuss is about. Opened and sat in bottle for 4 hours. Yes, this is a nice wine – fruit, depth and tannins, but shows a lot of heat - even 4 hours, and never really came together. Cherry, kirch, spice box, olive, and chewy flavors. Served with rib in steaks from the grille with rosemary sauce. People preferred the steaks to the wine. 90-91 maybe. Not to my tastes and not a top rated wine, IMHO
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Pulled a quick bottle from the cellar prior to hamburgers outside - so impressions only. Nose of blackberry jam with a note of licorice. Rich fruit on palate with firm tannins on finish. Still very primary but lots there for the future.
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Still young but packed with sweet flavours. I presume this will continue to develop more interesting flavours. Potentially a great wine and fun to drink now but didn't knock my socks off.
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Explosive, intense nose of kirsch liqeur, plums, raisins, pepper, garrigue, licorice, newly ground coffee. Full bodied yet somewhat elegant, no signs of heat, very long. I usually find raisins off-putting in wines, however with food and then some cheese this wine really shone. Still primary, will get better, but balanced.
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This wine just keeps sagging. Bitter, disjointed, aggressive on the nose and the palate, hot. From my cellar (temperature controlled), and from my stash (purchased from two sources), the 03 Clos is a train wreck. Drink up... it ain't improving... Those who like this either are drinking something else (under that theory, though, how to explain that I ended up with the same wine from Grapes and from Premier Cru?), or have really different palates than I do.
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Wild Game with 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape + Extras (Skymountain Circle): Broke out a second bottle due to calls for seconds on salads . . . how often does THAT happen? Pop-n-poured. A little less intense, a bit less explosive – but still wonderful in my book. In the mouth a delicate sweetness, proper tannins, herbs and sage and that wonderful dried cherry. On the nose, THAT unmistakable island cigar tobacco, spiced pepper, hints of cola and cherry. I’d eat salad for breakfast if Clos des Papes came with it!
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Wild Game with 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape + Extras (Skymountain Circle): I’m short of words. After working through a half case since last August, finally I figure out what the hubbub is about. This is a great CDP with FOOD. It has been opened, not decanted, for two hours. First I had a bite of the fresh green/gorgonzola chunk/balsamic vinegar salad . . . then an explosion. With the first taste it is all at once spice box, provincial herbs, dried cherry and sweet, well integrated, tannins. On the nose, island cigar tobacco, black and white pepper, hints of cola and fresh cherry. Whoa!
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Really showing great after some air. Deep dark color, gobs of ripe red and black fruit, nice balance, long finish. Better than the last bottle from the same lot enjoyed six months ago.
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Cean balck fruit on the nose along with a little heat. Deep brambleberry flavors. Very primary. A bit of alcohol lingering on the palate. Moderate length on the finish. Not showing as much earth as I prefer. Not in the same league overall as the 2003 Pegau Reservee. Very much a solid wine though.
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Starting to settle down a bit, but still very primary. Shows hints of earth and complexity with air, but this will be much better with 5-10 years of age.
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Drank at Syrah tasting with Alan, Eden etc. Light coloured with bright cherry, berry andcandy nose and first flavors. As the night went on it added weight, but didn't have the funk and savory depth of most CNdP's... lots of pepper on the palate and raisins, but not overly heated or alcoholic to my taste. Frankly, I think this is just too young to drink this as once all these elements have settled more it could be a really interesting bottle of wine. Could score lots more in the future, but I don't have the experience to know which way this will go.
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2003 Chateauneuf at Le Pichet- moving on up the food chain. (Le Pichet, Seattle, WA): Big fruit bomb. A bit candied sweet for me. I didn't get any roast or raisin like i did last time, but lots of raspberry but in too confectionary delivery. Would have been a much nicer wine if not for that aspect and a touch of heat on the finish. This either loses the candy or it loses it's place in my cellar as that is not my style- but overall it is not a flawed wine.
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This was probably way too young to open. Decanted for 4 hours for X-Mas dinner. The nose was somewhat expressive with red berries, figs and spices. More fig and spices on the wonderfully pure palate. Long finish. 92 points for now. This has the structure and complexity to be great in time.
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EOTC Highly Rated Tasting (Ann & Thomas'): Blind. Bright red in color. Nose of grenache (yes I mean that) and white pepper. Very elegant, beautifully balanced wine. Licorice notes but not too sweet. White, black, and red peppers. Raspberries. Definitely an old wolrd wine. Needs time. My guess: my ringer - 03 Clos des Papes. WA97/WS97
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Ruby color. Big nose of raspberry, damp hay, sour cherries, and some toasted oak. Very hot, and tannic in the pour-off. Too young, I thought, and I opened a '98 Donjon, knowing instantly that the '03 Clos d Papes would need at least six hours to show up..(I wish that I had read the notes here earlier for this wine). The 1998 is, today at least, a full fat level above the '03 Clos in taste, texture, and concentration (as expected). I returned five hours later to the open bottle: The nose had fleshed out noticeably: sweeter cherry, big raspberry, hints of cinnamon brush, smoke, and dirty wood...my guests were high inexperienced lushes, smoking, and dirty birds...Before I found my glass, someone asked me what kind of pinot we were drinking, and I had to work to get the pepper notes, (green and red), and hints of kirsch to correct her with any conviction. I also found vanilla bean, and meaty peat. The wine was medium bodied, and felt a little overpriced on the mid-palate. I made a mental note to sell my second bottle if I couldn't keep it cellared for at least three more years. The finish was thirty seconds or so, and the last sip was the best. It occured to me that this wine was more 2001 that 2003 later on in the morni ng. Hold.
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Day - 1 Some initial spritz blows off after 20 minutes. A toasted (not quite burnt flavor) seems to also subside after an hour of air. Good balance. Earth, spice and fruit with good acid and tannic structure. Needs time to develop. Day 2 - Some heat that overshadows the fruit. Hmmm...drinkable but not very impressive. Day 3 - Heat is gone. Still not overly impressive. Maybe 88 points? Day 4 =- Best of all by far. Gives me some hope that it will come around with some age.
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Because of Wine Spectator!!! and This is my favorite CNDP so I decided to test it young. From half bottle and decanted but still close, warm, heavy and dry. I wonder...how can it get a highest nominated...who tasted it ?
ps. maybe it's better or gettin' good in the future but not now...I'll get 2 of double magnum 2005 from my shop too and hope it gonna be great.
Is it No.1 Wine Spectator this year ?
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I was a bit disappointed in this wine for a Parker 97 pointer. Light ruby color. Double-decanted two hours before dinner and lightly chilled to about 60 - 65 degrees. Still early to drink this, nose took some coaxing, but then moderately complex, classic Grenache nose. A very good wine, but I was expecting greatness. I'll let my other bottles rest at least 2 years before I try another.
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Come on people this is not a great CDP. This bottle was closed down and uninteresting to say the least. poured a bunch of it down the drain. What a %*%$waste of money. The 2003 Pegau is better albeit a bit tannic at this stage. At least it tasted and smelled like a CNP. Not impressed with the nose or concentration of this wine.
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Drank after a '95 Rioja and a '02 Shiraz (Aussie) both of superb quality. The half bottle of CdP strung such a wonderful cord. A bit of the earthyness of due to following the Shiraz but the fruit stood out. Amazing red and dark berry flavors in countless layers.
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ruby red. 1st whiff smelled of pure raspberry juice. opened up to candied cherries, lots of alcohol on the nose!, a bit of a burnt fruit aroma, garrigue and darker fruit as it continued to get air (1.5 hrs.). Initial taste seemed very one dimensional w. lots of heat. opened to more typical Rhone flavors but the alchohol still seemed to override the flavors. I don't love this, nor do I hate it and I'm not sure that I can discern what all the fuss is over. After a few hours, this showed mostly alcohol and bitter taste.
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Tasted at 57 degrees F from my cellar. Nice nose of kirsh and spice. No alcoholic heat on the nose or overripe fruit at this temperature. Very young and primary. The palate is very dense and shows almost exclusively primary kirsh cherry type of notes with some elements of earthiness. Great finish that goes on for some time. At this temperature, the wine is excellent but very very young. It will improve hopefully so that my score will seem quite conservative.
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Pale ruby. [Day 1] Disjointed nose of overripe fruit, walnuts, cotton candy, robotusin cough syrup. On the palate, hot with aggressive fruit but a distinctively scorched or burnt note. Really disjointed and with little hope for pulling itself together. Basically a wine already heading downhill with no future. A shame that I have 4 more of these; I may unload them at auction (very rare for me). [Day 2]. The wine has improved a little in the bottle overnight. Still comes off as a clumsy, heavy, hot brew, but a bit less disjointed. Still, I don't think I'll change my score, and I'm still inclined to unload the 4 I have left.
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TWC Offline w/ pyang: Light-medium ruby colour. Armas of fruit punch, eucalyptus, kirsch, herbs, currant, brown sugar, and red licorice. Medium-full bodied, with alcohol, cherry, kirsch, spice. Moderate finish, 35s, with black fruit, pepper, spice, and kirsch. Needs time.
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My 3rd bottle and I can see why this is getting some mixed reviews. For me the nose is dominated by essence of raisin which I guess you either love or not - whats most interesting is how few of the tasting notes mention this raisin element. I can't beleive it is bottle variation as mine have been from 2 different sources so must just be me! Anyway otherwise a well balanced wine that is very easy to drink at this early stage. Will be interesting to see how the flavour profile progresses over the years.
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TN: 2003 Pegau Reservee vs. 2003 Clos des Papes - Dinner with Missy and Peter Igel
Each bottle was popped 3 hours in advance, left to rest in the cellar at 55 for 2 hours, and allowed to warm to 64 over the final hour. We spent about 2 hours consuming these bottles while leisurely conducting a salmon taste-off, if you will, between the Copper River and the Yukon River (with bites of Halibut cheek glazed with maple butter and gorgonzola as a palate cleanser)! Granted, both bottles have the guts to take a long trip downstairs, but damn if they both aren't delicious young. My tasting notes for both are rather similar. Each possesses a dense purple robe, but I found the Pegau to be a bit more inky. Each also showed the nose best as the bottles were unfortunately being drained. The wines showed common notes of kirsch, warm berries, fennel/licorice, tea leaves, and some damn incense that I associate with nights when my parents listened to Grand Funk Railroad, but the Pegau came across as sweeter and more driven by the black jelly bean component, while the Clos des Papes showed much more Herbs du Provence. While both wines are thick, rich, oily, and powerful, side by side the Pegau was that much more unctuous and heavy with almost brooding fruit. For my tastes, both these CdP are fantastic, but on this Saturday, the Clos des Papes had a liveliness and lightness to it (alongside its power) that the Pegau didn't have. As the wines warmed to 66, the Pegau revealed a heaviness and booziness to it that the Clos des Papes didn't show.
On this night at least, Clos des Papes 96, Pegau 94.
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Was in the mood for some great wine, opened this with a little trepidation. I have had a couple of 2003 cdps that have shown really bad: roasted fruit, hard green tannin, high alcohol. I have heard reports of the same with this wine. Pouring straight into the decanter, I immediately smell for that burnt, roasted fruit... none! I pour a small glass... freaking intense!!! Dried herbs, iron, sweet cherry.. wonderful nose. On the palate, this is rich, concentrated and wonderful... tastes like the essence of grenache! I love this wine, and will have to seek out more, one of the best wines I have had this year. Usually I find most critics too generous and too score happy. Definately not here, this is amazing wine. Believe the hype.
Since there seems to be a lot of bottle variation, I note that this wine was sourced from Premier Cru and was delivered to me 1/26.
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Fruit, kirsh and not all that complex. 88 points. After tasting with food I upgraded it to 88-90 as it seemed to be showing more, but this one left me confused. Votes - 0,2,3.
Tasted at Minneapolis Rhone tasting.
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Mystery wine night (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Dark deep red purple, looked almost black in the decanter and what a nose - not at all settled. Initially earth, peat and moss, this gave way to stewed blackberry and apples and a little heat but not as much as expected, then lavendar. Clean structure than a whack of oak and acidity with a long tannic finish. More heat came through later in the evening along with dark caramel toffee nose.
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Wanted to see what all the fuss is about. Opened early in the day to try as the day went on so to see how it developed. Deep red no bricking - very intense colour. First off closed nose but lots of fruit and tannin noticeable on palate. Then splash decanted. Later more red fruit on the nose and more red and black fruit to taste. But big dry tannins Later still (8hrs) more of everything on the nose including earth and herbs and some chocolate. Palate shows powerful concentrated fruit now starting to balance those dry tannins. Overall an intense concentrated Clos des Papes that with time will be a lovely wine. However not stand out better than 2001 or '99 to me at this stage.- I expect my palate isn't sensitive enough to differentiate between very good and excellent wines.
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Dinner at David Burke's Primehouse (Chicago IL): Decanted 6 hours before tasting. Luxurious and intense blackberry and blueberry. Lots of black pepper and some licorice. Very long and powerful with firm tannins. Hold to after 2010, and I'd expect this to drink well for decades.
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Nice bright ruby color, with a bit on violet on the edges, this had a wonderfull nose of berries, like a mixed basket from the market, and spices. Smooth mouth of tannins, a bit acidic (But not unpleasant: For the long haul) velvety mocka and berry flavors, bit of spice also. With a persisting finish of fruits again. Slightly drying tannins at the end.
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Once again outstanding. Restaurant bottle decanted through first courses and champagne. Still not the stunning floral nose of the (96+) bottle last fall, but there is lavender and violet tonight. Most notable is nice herbal character, what seemed tonight more like alfalfa hay than garrigue, over the plum, prune, and berry compote, with earthy CdP tannins. It grew richer in the glass over time.
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TTG#7: Hamina Comes to Town (and we all drink good wine) (Keyaki Grill at Capital Tokyu; La Fève Wine Bar (Tokyo)): Has a hugely viscous appearance. Smaller and perhaps a bit simpler than the last time I had it (nine months or so before). I criticized it then for size and overripeness, but it still showed Châteauneuf character then. Again, despite the bit of brown sugar and some surprising green leafiness, this is still very much CdP, just at a high-decibel level.
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This wine is remarkably inconsistent. Poured without decanting revealed a nose of blackberry and cherry. Loads of glycerin and a deep ruby red color. On the palate it revealed some subdued fruit but with a hint of unattractive phenols. It was surprisingly clipped on the mid-palate and unsatisfying on the finish. Even with the passage of three hours in the bottle there was surprisingly little evolution. Definitely not up to the level of the last bottle I had, or some recent tastings. Perhaps decanting would have helped, but the positive comments I've seen recently didn't mention this. Strange.
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Passover seder (Seattle, WA): Wow, yet another note, yet another stunner. I finished up a long couple of days of cooking for Passover seder and just needed something special to curl up with once I finished cooking and cleaning. Wow, this is just so pure and explosive, a huge Grenache bomb. Loads of cherry greet you at first, and this wine seems to be tightening up and become more elegant and well defined than it was just 9 months ago. With 15 minutes this really starts to pop with loads of dried herbs and white pepper. Very powerful and intense, almost a little too brash and intense right now, as this does show a bit of raspiness.
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Suprising light on first sight. Very alcholic 14.5% ! Not ready, tannins obvious and iunintegratd flavours? Pleasant roasted berry flavour with complex overtones Needs more time to evolve Dringing, but leave for 1/2 years at least IMO
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Took this bottle to the "red pig" wine tasting. It wasn't showing at its best; a few hours open might have helped. With about an hour open, just sitting on the table, the wine seemed disjointed and the tannins were a little too prominent. That roasted aroma was also rather noticable. Call it an 89 point "experience" even though I would still view this as a 94 point wine.
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What can be said that hasn't already been written about this wine. I love it when good bottles actually live up to the hype and this one is freaky good. Deep maroon in color. Blood, anise and spicy fruit on the nose. Super tight tannins numb the tongue and take hold giving way to licorice, coarse pepper, mushrooms, a hint of menthol and dark fruit. 45 seconds + of power! Heavy mouth feel and the overwhelming feeling that this monster was created by Dr. Frankenstein himself. Looking forward to enjoying this in a few years when it starts to mellow a notch. 97 points easily.
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2nd day in Paree(out of 5) At great lunch at Meurice. Luncheon Menu is a bargain at E75. Wine is overpriced all over Paris. 1/2 bottle 92 Euros.Oh, well we only live once. Wine is spectacular for such a young CdP. Floral frais de bois bouquet,light ruby color, great light CdP flavors, good but not extended finish.
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Dark. Nice and spicy nose with great sweetness, cherries and raspberries. A Big nose. Very seducing and nice body. Balanced and fruit-dominated. Aftertaste keeps going on and on, but perhaps a bit too straight... Tasted blind. Burgundy tasting 11/02/2006.
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After all the hype, the actual wine was sort of an anticlimax!
Saturated dark ruby. Rich nose of sweet ripe fruit (raspberries, plums), creme de cassis, hint of straw, provincal spices. Maybe tapenade? On the palate, extracted, intense fruit -- deep and sweet, but with a slightly jarring note of surmaturite -- roasted tomatoes, perhaps, or some other form of over-the-edge fruit. Good now; I would consume this on the young side. Best with assertive foods. Originally I gave this a score in excess of 90 points. But subsequent tastings have disturbed me; the wine seems more and more disjointed and the jarring note is increasingly dominent. So I'm taking the numeric score off -- I wish I could retaste this today. I have no idea if the bottle was better than the later ones, or if I was over generous, or if evolution of the wine has simply been rapid (and damaging)
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TCF February 2006 Off-Line (Napa - Powell's): Bottle decanted 2 ½ hrs before my first sip. Good, complex floral nose. This was very tight and not wanting to reveal much no matter how long in the glass, nor when I returned to visit it a few times. Flavors of blueberry and some cherry with white pepper, hints of violet and game along with a touch of smoke. Good consistent palate with abundant acidity and very light tannins, but could use some weight.
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The first time we had this wine in September 2005, it was an absolute stunner, a really great wine (definitely 96+). Tonight, it was off that mark, but still outstanding, showing plums, berries, raisin and spice, with faintly floral aromas. It seemed to show more alcohol tonight too. Looking forward to its further evolution.
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Tasted beside the 1995. Very interesting to compare these. The 2003 is not showing well at this point, but it will be very interesting to try it again in 5-10 years.
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Minneapolis Dinner and Tasting - Chateauneuf, Bordeaux, and Burgundy (mainly) (J.P.'s in Minneapolis): Same bottle as Siggy's TN... I won't go into too much detail, due to the rather lengthy TN and rambling discussion I archived earlier this month (see TN). Suffice it to say, this was a consistent experience, where the wine was perhaps even more expressive immediately upon pouring. Tasting it next the '95 Clos des Papes (see TN) this time around proved to be an enlightening experience, and I now feel like I have a better idea what this wine is all about - and where it's headed. Excellent. Thanks, Craig!
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Tasting Group Dinner - Old World Wines (JP's American Bistro, Minneapolis): This was controversial (no surprise), yet I thought it was much less freakish and better integrated than the bottle I opened a few months ago. White pepper, bacon, and cherry liquor. I felt like I understood this wine better after tasting it side-by-side with the 1995. Still has miles to go. 94+? points.
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Initially, slightly closed nose that, with vigorous swirling, reveals confit of red fruit, notes of raisins, cocoa and spicebox - cloves and cinnamon. I'm not calling the wine "raisiny" overall, but there is a certain sweet rasin element which I rather enjoy. That element is more than balanced by the pure, ripe red cherry fruit. There's also a touch of alcohol to the aroma, which I would guess will be completely buried under the inevitable secondary / tertiary elements, as they evolve. This wine is a baby. When the second glass was poured, the fruit seemed brighter and more intense, and the aromas lept from the glass, rather than requiring some coaxing. Wow. This is gorgeous stuff. I would still call this wine rather old-school in style, and in no way would I place this in the "modern" camp. This is a structured, powerful, concentrated but not necessarily super-extracted wine. It's well made - not be be confused with "modern"... and, finally, its balance is amazing. It's broad and lingering on the palate, finishing with seemingly equal parts of both dry, dusty tannins and ripe fruit. I think this will evolve beautifully into a classically styled Chateauneuf, leaving people scratching their heads over the fact that the typicity of this wine was ever so hotly debated. For me, stylistically, it seems to come close to the 2000 Mon Aieul from Pierre Usseglio, but I really need to try that wine again to say for sure. Note: IMO, this wine, like most, will show best if drunk under the appropriate conditions, and a warm temperature could be quite unflattering. In the case of this bottle, it was 61 degrees. This was a bottle from a DC retailer that arrived in early Sept.
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Flanken and Châteauneuf-du-Pape!!! (Seattle, WA): Tasted from 375ml. Wow, this was the best bottle of this I have tasted yet in 6 tries now. I simply cannot understand how people can call this roasted or raisined. It is some of the most exotic, spicy, complex, intense yet gloriously lithe Grenache I have ever tasted. The wine had a little alcohol showing on the nose when we first popped it, but this was quickly integrated. Loads of white pepper, cherries, licorice, and spicebox explode from the glass. In the mouth this stuff is breathtaking, as it literally fills every last corner of your mouth with flavors that build in intensity, loads of fresh cherry, pine more pepper, the whole spicebox is in there. Yet there is just no heaviness to this wine, and rather it finishes out gorgeously dry, youthfully tannic, yet so in balance. I am really, really a big fan of this wine!
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Dinner @ Phil and Jen's: Cheap kirsch on the nose, touch of yeastiness. Blossomed with some time into rich and roasty fruit. Very blowsy across the palate. Low acid, strong fruit, heat. Some aromatics and minty notes. Lack of precision downgrades this for me.
Next evening, very disjointed and messy. Nose has picked up some earth and funk though which bodes well. We'll see what happens.
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Dinner with Andrew and Elena (Columbus, OH): Cherry liqueur on the nose, where it comes across as quite robust and shows some alcohol. Darker, black cherry notes on the palate. It does remind me a lot of a Clarendon Hills grenache. Focused and clean if a bit monolithic. Fine tannins, low acid, and some overt heat. Tasty.
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Decanted 4 hours. Very complex nose. Floral, fruity. Clear, light amber color. Bursts with fruit flavors...very complex tropical fruit flavors that change with each sip. Strange...but apple, Kiwi, lychee (yes...lychee), pears, black current backdrop. Floral flavors into a 30 second finsh...no real tannins to speak of. Great mouth feel. Light, fluid, integrated, constantly changing. Like drinking light liquid fireworks.
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Tasted blind with many grenache based wines... Light red - cherry berry w/ very light tobacco nose. Mild spritz at first taste - mouth is initially disappointing, but fleshes out w/ roses & tomato(?). Outstanding nose.... tasted with the 2001 & was completely different.
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Best of the Best Wine Class, Fall 05 (Farmington Community & Senior Center, Unionville, CT): Here we go again…this seemed even more the out-of-control roller-coaster ride of a wine than when I'd had it before, although following the 99 Margaux probably didn't help. Color was medium weight garnet, belying the intense nose to follow. Notes of soy sauce, strawberry jam, raisins, butterscotch, and concentrated orange peel burst from the glass, some aspects of which were reminiscent of a PX Sherry. In the mouth were sweet red fruit and briary flavors, followed by a slightly hot and clipped tannic finish. There's certainly a lot going on here, but I'm curious if 10+ years of age will bring things around in more balance and build more textural complexity.
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375 ml bottle. Thinner in color saturation than expected, but still dark purple. The nose on this was intriguing on both day one and day two, with lots of primary berries as well as smoky meat, sage and anise. When first opened, the wine was hot and had some biting tannins, but there was plenty of red and purple fruit and a finish that, while dominated by alcohol, showed a ton of complexity. By day two the wine had sorted itself out a bit and was showing softer and more balanced, if slightly less large, in the mouth. 50+4+14+16+8=92
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375ml bottle opened & 1 glass immediately sampled without food; remainder decanted for later sampling. Rich ruby color. Licorice & cassis on the nose, with a hint of cinnamon. Palate very strong up front, with very ripe dark fruits & strong tannins tightly wound with some acidity, a bit hot (alcohol). Not at all ready at first!! 2 hours later, nose showing more clove & nutmeg. Palate has softened a bit, but still fairly vigorous tannins seem out of balance, still a bit hot. Still not very much to my taste yet (food would help?). After 3 hours, tannins still positively tooth-coating. Palate not coming together. I conclude that this needs years to resolve, or MUCH more time in decanter to develop. Reserved a small amount to taste tomorrow, but I don't hold out much hope at this point for the near term. P.S. - 24 hours later it has not improved appreciably to me. Tannins still over-dominant, with lots of ripe dark fruits on the palate and spices in the nose.
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Opened around 10am, what striked me was the incredible purity of fruit on the nose (red fruits, esp. cherries). The nose was also very deep. The palate wasn't fully developed but no tannic or heat bite and the finish was very long. A few hours later (not decanted) with lunch it was showing very well with clear raisiny aromas on the palate that reminded me a bit of the aromas of the Amarone drunk the night before. Although powerful it was also elegant with perceptible tannins but that didn't get in the way of the enjoyment of the wine. The only downside was the slight heat on the finish, and the fact that the wine is not yet as complex as it will be in due course. I tried what was left in the bottle on the following but the wine showed quite differently, more tannic and slightly disjointed.
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Opened this one at about 4:30 and poured a small taste. Typical Grenache nose and slightly acidic. We came back to this again around 6:30 and was not showing much. Finally around 9:30 we poured a glass for everyone. Typical granache, along with a gamey smell, light fruits(strawberry and basberry?), and rasins. I fairly full bodied wine, but with noticable acid. The alcohol was not noticable. Not real sure what to make of this one.
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1:30 in the afternoon. After having received the wine which I bought, I just had to open one to see what all the excitement is about. No decanting - in the glass a strong nose of grenache fumes. As it settled, I detected cherries, red berries and chinese tea? (never had that before) and smoke. The tannins were present but not overwhelming. As the wine sat over the cource of the afternoon it kept evolving and developing more nuances. When we finally finished it at dinner, with roast duck, it was just unbelieveable how such a young wine could be drinking so well. This should be really great as it evolves and becomes a mature then older wine. I kept about 1/4 glass out on the table as the evening unfolded. The wine changed completely. The longer it sat the more tanic it became. Around 8:00 pm my wife remarked that it had turned into a tanic mess. I finished it at 9:00 and it had shut down and displayed none of the charasterics which it had when we first opened it.
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We'll see where this one goes. Drank at the Bottle of Angst dinner alongside many wines so probably not a fair environment to accurately evaluate any wine. On first opening this had a bit of an offputting nose of burnt rubber and/or ashtray. That mostly subsided after a couple hours of decanting. There was a lot to like there and I'm probably a bit overly critical since I bought a good amount of this wine before tasting it - but at the time I gravitated to the slightly off notes in the wine - which I'm hoping will come together with time. Otherwise, big wine with great intensity if a little spirity.
Probably wouldn't open another until at least 2008, preferably 2010.
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Bottle of Angst, Volume I (Older Bordeaux and More) (Chateau Guerette): [Decanted 3(?) hours]. Whatever you think about this wine, it will certainly generate intense opinions. Black-red and totally opaque, this essence of Grenache oozes aromas of black cherry, candied pomegranate, anise, and caramelized oak. With a slightly reduced quality, the high alcohol was noticeable, without being hot. Thick, rich textured and powerful with plenty of tannins, this actually paired nicely with the assertively spiced skewers.
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I was intrigued and perplexed by this wine. It has the potential to be absolutely profound, but I just don't have the experience to know what to make of it or to predict how it will unfold. Single decanted. Medium-deep maroon color, with a beast of a nose that alternated between lush and completely shut down. Constantly evolving in the glass: first it tasted like a Zinfandel, then the Granache character started to unfold, then it began to exhibit a Port-like character. White pepper, kirsch, licorice, bitter chocolate, raisin, and a million other tightly wound flavors. Fairly high acid and extract, medium body, did not come across as hot or tannic. Barely budged after 3 hours in the decanter. Revisit in at least 5, ideally 10+, years.
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Chateauneuf 2003 tasting in Antwerp- Organised by Michel Vlyminck (Pazzo restaurant - Antwerp - Belgium): More dilluted than the previous wine (not difficult to get there) This wine features aromas of sour cherries, licorice and has some rustic elements. I personally did not find the nose very appealing. In the mouth it has good structure and mid palate with again a rustic touch and medium lenght with a hint of eucalyptus in the finish. The wine evolves quite a bit after aeration and probably needs quite a bit of decanting in order to express its full power.
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With so much controversy surrounding this wine, I had to crack one open to judge it for myself. Regrettably, I didn't have the time to decant the bottle. As the wine was being poured into the glass, I could smell the pure grenache nose of kirsch and a hint garrigue. The color is darker than any other Clos des Papes I've had before. In the mouth, the fruit is very powerful, pure and clean. It offers up a copious amount of dark raspberries with a nice acidic backbone and sweet tannins. The label states 14% alcohol, I thought it was higher, as it clearly finishes hot with a slight burnt aftertaste, indicating the hot weather in 2003. After about 90 minutes of air, it took on a more complex and calmer profile showing more herbs and spices, with less heat on the finish. Overall, a fantastic wine that will develop wonderfully, given the huge amount of fruit that's overshowing the tannins. I'm just curious as to how the slightly burnt finish will evolve as it ages...
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Medium red. Deep ripe black cherry liquor. Glyceral and rich on the palate with a bit of heat on the finish. Almost Zin like in it's ripeness. Super-ripe but not roasted. Long, silky finished. Decanted 4 hours.
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Initially minerals and metal in the nose and seems every minut hereafter it opens up and changes in the nose. But we basically opened it too late in the evening and I didnt feel like it ever came around to be able to judge it. After two hours I honestly had some serious debate with myselves to what the fuss is about. It is without a doubt good, but having it up against the Mon Aïeul 01 it didnt come through for me.
Returning to it Sunday morning. There is still very little in the nose but its now smooth and soft, warm taste with lots of herbs, pebber and raisins. But Im still standing there waiting for more. It just doesnt happen to me.
Im not too sure but seemed closed./steen
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Opened this last night. I can see the controversy, and for the first time I am on the disappointed side of things. I can usually calibrate my palate to RP and many other BB members. This is hot and super ripe. I won't say it is over the top, but close. Somewhat disjointed with no harmony. It has stuffing and a superlong finish, but the entry and midpalate seemed reticent and mildly hollow. The midpalate did fill out after 2 hours, but, if I can predict, I cannot see an upper 90's rating for this wine in the future. I will open one more later in the year. If it is still Zin-like, I will sell and get more 01 Beau.
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Very young and primary. Very ripe, low acid, and tannic. Super extraction. Still, somehow I wasn't blown away; not enough balancing acid for me. The Beaurenard-Boisrenard tasted the same evening was MUCH better.
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From 375. I can see how this wine is controversial as it so ripe and rich it approaches a new world feel. I can see how some call it zin-like, though I find it more CdP-very ripe CdP! The fruit overpowers everything else for me at the moment, but there are hints of complexity (herbs, spice) underneath the wall of fruit. Lush mouthfeel and a slight bit of heat on the finish as the wine warms in the glass. I think this will age into a beauty, but the critics will have their say for at least 5 years.
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Again excellent. For me, this wine shows its greatness not with intensity of fruit or other flavors (although it certainly has those), but with sheer richness and size on the palate.
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Tokyo Offline Group Inaugural (French Mixed Bag) (Cuisine 219): Wow! Deep, deep colour, but not quite inky or murky. Started with that low-toned funky Grenache smell, overlaid with a little strawberry and raspberry and very ripe darker fruit and spice. There's garrique here too. Palate shows big tannins, but so much fruit that the tannins just slip on by. Palate is much more ripe dark fruit, maybe a little roast/raisin, but less than I had feared. I get very little of the heat that others have noted (but, unlike Oliver, did not revisit after the claret). A lot of fun to drink, but I can't figure out what I would drink it with, other than a rare "steak as big as your head". Overwhelmed the lamb chops. Didn't find the acid spine to make me think this will evolve over the long-term into the kind of wine I like to drink, but you could hide an elephant's worth of acid under the tannin and fruit at this stage. Has the roasted, ripe notes of 2003 that are not really for me, but I was really impressed at how clearly this wine still spoke of Chateauneuf, just in an outsized way. (Thanks Michael)
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After all the fuss, I had to try one. Eric was kind enough to let me have one of his halfs, so after 24 hours of rest :) I opened one. In short it is everything that everyone has said. It is very , very ripe. Far lusher than most CdPs. Loaded with fruit and structure. And a touch hot. With time in the decanter the heat did subside. The nose shows crushed black berries with some roasted notes. I can understand why some got Zin elements from the nose. The palate is very lush with plenty of structure that currently is hiding behind the fruit. I also get an earthy herbal element that screams CdP. On the finish I get the sense of how much structure is there. Even with air I continue to get some heat on the finish. Let' s call it 93-96.
After another 2 hours of air (3 total), this wine has really reached a new level. The nose is now far more CdP like with loads of garrigue. The most impressive change, however, is the palate. While still massive, it is now completely seamless. I have only have a handful of young wines that offer this level of velvety smoothness. The finish has now calmed a bit. I don't get any heat, but it still is impressively long. The structure is equally massive, so with some cellar time this will be truly awesome. Let me upgrade my score to 95-97.
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Seeing everyone else (mostly Eric) enjoying this so much, I just had to pull the cork on one.... And it is superb right now! For me, it took about an hour of air before it really got rolling. Even though it is big and powerful, it comes off as very elegant compared to many other 2003 CdPs. The tannins are assertive, yet well intergrated, fine, and sweet. The wine's richness sings on the palate and lingers long into the finish, hinting at the complexity that (I hope and expect) will unfold with some cellar time. It will be hard not to drink more of these soon...
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Night one just poured a small glass, corked the remainder and tossed it back in the cellar. Big CdP- A bit of alcohol on the nose, jammy, spicy, a touch of raisin. Lots of tannin. At this point it comes off a touch over-ripe but we shall see what comes tomorrow night.
Night two: Holy raspberry jam Batman! Alcohol is mostly integrated. Very enjoyable with a big ole T-Bone off the grill and Gruyere Potato Gratin (damn I am a good cook). Holy Tannins Batman! This is a big structured wine. At this point it still touches the overripe spectrum so I have to limit it to a 94. Definitely not something I want to see again until it has a good milimeter of dust on the bottle.
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Pre-Parker warmup dinner at Citronelle... (Georgetown, USA): We revisited this after dinner. Wow, I can't believe how much this opened in a few hours. This is simply unreal and deep, a testament to the vintage. Lovely as it is, the 2001 seems like a lightweight by comparison to this beast!
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Pre-Parker warmup dinner at Citronelle... (Georgetown, USA): OMFG, this wine just does not quit. I need to stop with this already (my third bottle in a week, hoohah!!!). Raspberry jam and some heat moving to white pepper, deeply tannic, wow, what structure! The extraction, intensity and depth relative to the 2001 are just dramatically deeper. Wow!
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Dinner at Cru (New York, NY): When we first popped the 375ml there was indeed some heat on the nose, but within 5 minutes this was integrated. The nose is dusky, almost forbidding with some hints of leather but not giving away much right now. The palate was initially sweeter than I recall with intense, almost jammy raspberry. However, after 10 minutes the spicey, dried herbs and white pepper are exploding in the mouth. This is very tannic, but the fruit and extract already make it surpisingly approachable. Wow, this is lovely albeit much more monolithic than the 375ml the other evening (which I sipped at slowly from a decanter for 3+ hours). I let the glass sit for an hour and if anything the wine shut down a fair bit but did show lovely elegance and balance. This stuff is the real deal. I need to hide more of my bottles away and soon!
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Curious to try given so much recent hype. Medium ruby color, actually quite light for young Chateauneuf. Nothing but alcohol on the nose, unpleasantly hot on the palate. Some fruit and spice emerge over time, but this honestly burns, and the finish is terribly clipped due to the alcohol rather than the moderate tannins. Brings back bad memories of out of balance monster Zinfandels. Many more similarities with other '03s that I've tried than with other vintages of Clos des Papes. I'm not systematic enough to score wines, but I am truly perplexed trying to reconcile the reality of this bottle with the degree of enthusiasm seen in published notes. To wit, how could this wine be selling for at least 50% more than the terrific '01?
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Tasted from 375ml which I nicknamed as a 'Pape-let'. Oh my, this was lovely and extremely reminiscent of the 2003 Pegau I tasted from fermenter last July. The nose is loaded with soaring notes of kirsch, white pepper and pine needles, yet beneath this are some more dusky scents of beef blood and mineral. The wine explodes onto your palate with wave after wave of spicy and rambunctious Grenache, loads of dried herbs, white pepper, laser-focused notes of cherry and raspberry, sort of like a Clarendon Grenache yet so much more intense, spicy, lighter and more alive. There is surprising grip and verve to this young dynamo of a wine, and as intense as the flavor profile is there is just nothing heavy or cloying here, not too much heat (but this is clearly very ripe). Is this what the 1989 Beaucastel might have tasted like on release? Wow, fun young wine, spicy, spicy, spicy!!!
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I picked up my case from the Domaine last week. (€31 a bottle) I have another three cases coming from other sources, so I was very happy to commit infanticide with one bottle.
I thought about the decanter, decided it didn’t need it, but then decanted some to see what would happen. First impressions are that this is a wine that tastes brilliant right now, and straight from the bottle. You get intense, sweet, ripe fruit, on the nose and even more on the palate. It has a silky smooth/ glycerin feel. It is harmonious; a wine with no hard edges, in spite of its youth. The finish is very long, with excellent mouth-feel.
The WA note says to drink from 2007. Initially this surprised me, given how open, accessible and pleasurable it tastes right now. However, after a while the wine puts on weight as tannins start to build, which perhaps gives a hint. After two hours in the decanter it becomes quite tannic, although the tannins are always soft and ripe. At this point, when your mouth is well coated, the aftertaste seems to linger for minutes.
One thing that surprised me is that, in spite of the extra-ordinary summer of 2003, this is still recognisably a Clos des Papes. dg+
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5/12/2024 - buckeye76 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nice ruby color at 21 years old. Blackberries, raspberries, cherries, and currants in the nose with hints of leather, licorice, floral and spice. Raspberries, plums, chocolate, and espresso in the flavor. Full bodied, very well balanced, complex and a very long finish. An elegant wine and delicious.
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4/14/2024 - Caruso Likes this wine: 97 Points
Perfectly stored since release without travelling. Ruby to vermilion red without orange hue in thin layers. Cork soaked to 10%. No decant. No extended airation from the bottle. From the start a deep and intense yet focused and nuanced nose with cherries, different dried herbs, blackberries, blood and asian spices. On the palate light on its feet, impressive not because of its power, but elegance and subtlety. Given some previous notes, let me clarify: Of course totally dry with exception of the normal glycerin sweetness that every wine with 14% alc. has; no oxidative notes at all. Nevertheles quite long with medium intensity ending on fruit and blood, iron notes. The tannins have melted to a large extent and there is enough acidity to keep this fresh and balanced. With more air from the glass it shows some more tannins left. Outstanding to extraordinary bottle. 5/14/19/9+. Of course this is fully developed. Difficult to tell, how long this could last, but not optimal stored or bottle that travelled should be drunk up. A sad thing, that there are so many damaged bottles out there. Given this bottle, I would assume, that it could hold through for 5 or more years.
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2/2/2024 - townjbc Likes this wine: 89 Points
Nice wine, struck me as atypical for Châteauneuf du Pape. Good fruit and lovely colour to the wine. But somehow it didn’t hit the spot.
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1/17/2024 - acyso wrote: 70 Points
Flickinger Tasting at The Casino (Chicago, IL): Likely originally more dessert wine than anything, the ravages of time have not been kind. This is a mummified husk of fruit now, with bitter tannins and still plenty of unpolymerized sugars still floating around. Not worth drinking, though there was certainly a degree of morbid curiosity here to see where Parker's vaunted favourites have ended up.
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1/6/2024 - beatles wrote: 96 Points
Stunning. Fully mature. Lighter in colour. Beef blood, barnyard, sweet Grenache and sauvage Mourvèdre. This wine is in great harmony, just singing, and drinking a point, I think. I really don't get all the hate, that is hitting this domaine recently, tonight this was world class.
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12/28/2023 - wsammons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is still going strong - requires a bit of time in a decanter to blow off some barnyard funk
Notes of spice, currant and pepper. Some floral notes as well; mainly violets
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11/6/2023 - DevenStephens Likes this wine: 95 Points
This bottle has survived much better than the other. Burgundy red color. Rich jammy fruits on the nose. Strawberry jam, alittle cough syrup smell but I didn't find that it was a negative trait. Caramel and Chocolate. Really interesting drinking a CdP with this amount of age. Also had it in comparison with the 2019 which made it even more interesting. Don't age this any more though, it's at peak and will not get better.
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11/5/2023 - Skip4wine wrote: 95 Points
In the perfect spot. The tertiary flavors and “funk” of an older wine but still fruit presence and depth of flavors. No hurry but in the next two years or so.
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8/6/2023 - DevenStephens Likes this wine: 94 Points
Syrah's of the World Blind Tasting; 8/5/2023-8/6/2023: First time trying a CdP with this much age, 20yo Clos des Papes and boy what it something! Even tho it was left standing for a while it was a bit cloudy but otherwise a beautiful color of dark purplish red. The nose was light but present, smoked plum and dried strawberries. On the palate it was rich but not overripe. Plum, blackberry and black cherries along with cassis liquor and a long finish. This is an amazing wine by an amazing producer and I can't wait to try more from them!
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7/2/2023 - DCornutt wrote:
This one has finally come together. Delicious. Darker spectrum of fruit but much better focus on the palate now. I don't sense the alcohol but it is substantial. That is saying something about the balance here. Wonderful finish. Long life ahead of this beauty. Glad it finally came around.
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4/17/2023 - chatters wrote:
Peta (plus others) big birthday celebration (Peta & Loic's place, Croydon(ish)): "Served blind.
Baked red fruits sweet spice, a little alcohol prickle, baked earth, garrigue. Juicy and slight sour, medium plus intensity acidity, alcohol warmth, red hued fruits, a little tannic burr, lacks a bit of 'stuffing'.
Chateauneuf du Pape Grenache dominant from a, ahem, 'challenging' vintage"
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4/7/2023 - Get Real wrote: 93 Points
Needed a few hours of air. Enjoyable, definitely plenty of tertiary notes on the nose together with the usual garrigue, pepper and acidity with some old leather starting to creep in.
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3/24/2023 - forceberry wrote: 85 Points
A blend Grenache (60%), Mourvèdre (20%) and Syrah (15%); the remaining 5% rounded out by a combination of Cinsault, Counoise, Muscardin and Vaccarèse. The fruit gets fully destemmed before the spontaneous fermentation. Aged in old, neutral oak foudres up to 18 months, depending on the vintage. Bottled unfiltered. 14,5% alcohol.
Luminous, translucent and relatively pale brownish-red color. The nose feels old, somewhat oxidative and a bit funky with aromas of smoke, tobacco and bretty funk, some oxidative notes of beef jerky, a little bit of nutty rancio, light pungent aldehydic notes, a hint of dried figs, a rustic touch of horse stables and a whiff of balsamic VA. The wine feels evolved, juicy and somewhat oxidative on the palate with a full body and slightly sweet-toned tertiary flavors of beef jerky and salty soy sauce, some raisiny tones, a little bit of aldehydic rancio, light bretty notes of leathery funk and barnyard, sweet fruity hints of soft strawberries and dried figs and a touch of licorice root. The medium acidity and gently grippy medium-minus tannins bring some firmness to the mouthfeel, but not much. The finish is rich, sweet-toned and somewhat oxidative with gently grippy tannins and moderately long flavors of raisiny dark fruit, some tangy notes of rancio, a little bit of bretty barnyard, light sweet notes of prunes and dried dates, a hint of leathery funk and a touch of meaty umami.
This was a still somewhat enjoyable vintage of Clos des Papes but there's no around the fact that this vintage is already getting past its peak. The fruit department is not only getting tired and oxidative, but also a bit too dull and sweet with all the raisiny and pruney flavors that take a toll on the overall drinkability. I did enjoy the somewhat funky brett character that added a nice little touch of rustic complexity to the wine - I think the wine might've been more straightforward and less interesting without the funky overtones. All in all, this challenging vintage managed to offer some enjoyment, but I feel the wine must've been in a better shape some 5-10 years ago. No point in aging this wine any further - now it is high time to drink up any remaining bottles.
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3/10/2023 - Eric wrote: 93 Points
Caitlin & Clare goodbye celebration: Always a controversial and somewhat problematic wine, this was a very nice example. Ganache and white pepper. Deeply concentrated cherry fruit, surprisingly tannic, nothing overripe, just peppery and intense, focused. Much more fresh than I might expect from some past experiences.
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2/11/2023 - danielbleier Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank as an afterthought after many quality whites and reds - this was in great shape, the grenache was singing with raspberry and blackberry notes.
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2/5/2023 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
2 hour double decant. Smooth and delicious! One of my favorite CDPs! Wasn't quite sure what to expect...could be great...could be hot/alcoholic....well, it was not alcoholic at all and had a very nice balance of fruit and tertiary flavors. Nose showed some cherry blossom, meat and earth, with a little spice and old leather. Palate was equally compelling, with red fruit, bacon fat and jerked beef, earth and spice...in a word, delicious! 93+ for my palate! My second favorite red....I liked the 1994 Beaucastel slightly more!
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2/5/2023 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Monthly Tasting Group: Rhones (Noyes and Cutler, St. Paul, MN): Small glass over 15 mnintes. Oh the violets on the nose here, deeply floral, leather, soil, garrigue, classy, long and minerally dense on a medium frame. Really understated and refined for the vintage, outstanding. 93+pts.
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1/25/2023 - Tucsonhabs wrote:
Nit ready yet. Benefit from more maturity. Drag it in January 2023.
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1/11/2023 - Zweder wrote:
Monthly Tasting Group HWS: Clos des Papes (By AH): Beautiful and spicy fragile bouquet. Quite mature bouquet. On the palate there are still good elements, but I think the wine is falling apart. There are very mature impressions, figs, boiled fruits and glue. This was a very great wine, but this bottle is nowhere near what it was. No score.
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12/17/2022 - PolarBear22 wrote: 95 Points
The wine is still wonderful. I can’t see it improving, but has a couple years of great drinking left. Decanted, mainly to filter it. Great color and plenty of fruit on the nose. Well integrated tannins. Nice acidity. Had with short ribs and complemented the meal well.
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11/21/2022 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
Chateauneuf du pape tasting (at my home): requires 1-2 hours of aeration
med ruby black
med+ aromas intensity of red ripe cherries, forest floor, oak-vanilla
developed
dry, high acidity, med+ soft tannins, high abv, med+ body, excellent complexity,
med+ flavors intensity consistent with the aromas, long finish, excellent complexity,
can drink now - suitable for further aging
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11/19/2022 - ChrisR Likes this wine:
The last of my bottles. I've had quite a bit of variation with this vintage. This one was good, albeit showing signs of age. Black cherry and raspberry, still sweet and bright enough to provide pleasure, soil tones, garrigue and spices. Soft, but persistent. This bottle was actually very tasty, but very much felt like it was in its final stages.
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10/16/2022 - StoneRidgeCellars Likes this wine: 92 Points
Drank with Jennings, requires an hour or more decanting. Rich earthy bouquet, well rounded texture and acidity, taste is more earthy, leather then fruit but exceptional all around.
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9/10/2022 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fabulous CNdP at age 19. Massive dark fruit, mid weight, glorious mouth coating texture ….so wish we had more.
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8/30/2022 - Nontaco wrote:
Cork issues - leaking
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8/21/2022 - jgreco wrote: 92 Points
Earth, leather, grilled meats. A little leaner than past bottles. High alcohol on the finish.
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8/10/2022 - bajayngo wrote:
Unfortunately this bottle was a bretty mess.
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8/10/2022 - bajayngo wrote:
Absolutely spectacular bottle, loads of lavender and garrigue, fig cake, hot desert air, layered raspberry fruit and an incenses bouquet.
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7/9/2022 - robmatic wrote: 93 Points
Still terrific.
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6/18/2022 - wsammons Likes this wine: 93 Points
Little bit of funk on the front that needs to blow off - after a few hours, this is in a fairly decent spot. I wouldn’t expect it to get much better
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6/18/2022 - beatles wrote: 95 Points
Great showing. Turning lighter, more Rayas-like, maybe, while still with the backbone of Mourvèdre. Plenty of red berries here, sheer elegance, probably drinking a point. Retasted on day 2 - has not moved.
#Kandestederne #ribeye
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5/20/2022 - wsammons Likes this wine: 92 Points
This is still incredibly primary - it will need at least three years of cellar time to integrate
This will be a very good wine with time
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4/26/2022 - nkirsch wrote: 87 Points
Past it prime. OK flavor though a little tart. Ok nose.
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4/9/2022 - Amberissey Likes this wine: 94 Points
It smells like cherry liqueur. Also some fresh red cherries with air. Also the pastry of a cherry pie, the juice has soaked into it. Some heat on the nose. Maybe some chocolate. Lighter than expected on the palette. So elegant. More cherry. Alcohol there but unobtrusive. Held its appeal over hours, no rush. One of if not the best CdP I’ve had
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4/8/2022 - paintinginacave Likes this wine: 94 Points
Stood up for five days and decanted for two and a half hours. A medium ruby core fading to a pale ruby outer edge. The nose revels the most intense aromas of cherry imaginable with rich heady notes of cherry kirsch liqueur and fresher, more pure elements of bing cherry - backed up by the faintest hint of Sichuan pepper lurking in the background. Silken, refined, and elegant the intensity of the cherry reappears on the palate alongside damp herbs and red liquorice. An extraordinary, elegant, and pure celebration of cherry.
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4/4/2022 - brianofthevine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Whoa...a beautiful and mature wine at almost 20 years old and still holding on. Sweet cherry fruit and red raspberry, and plums. Notes of earth, mushroom, spice, and cracked pepper with an ever so slight mustiness to it. Still has some good acidity, smooth tannins, and long finish. Classic CdP vintage...fantastic right now but will still go a few more years. Glad I have more.
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3/30/2022 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 89 Points
Seems a little past its prime. Flavors a little earthy/musty but ok. Decent nose. Drank about an hour after opening. Maybe will do better with some more time open but I think its time to drink it.
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3/7/2022 - jgreco Likes this wine: 95 Points
I still haven’t had a tired Clos des Papes. Even this 375 from 2003 is fresh. Quite a complex nose with earth, leather, garrigue, mushrooms, and plum fruit that is still holding on. Perfectly balanced, fresh palate. 30 second finish.
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2/19/2022 - Nontaco Likes this wine: 94 Points
Mature but holding on. Burgundian. Muted and mottled nose. But still alluring. Old spices, your little league leather glove, some soil and mushrooms on palate, but still a nice zest of acidity and lingering fruit. I meant to Coravin for a wee glass or two with lunch, but the cork popped up a bit and was forced to open the bottle around noon while the rest of family is a few hours away visiting family - woe is me! Enjoying the afternoon session drinking this bottle. Going to make some duck with a blueberry port sauce to meet it on the tail end.
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1/28/2022 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
huge pepper on opening. second day flat
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1/24/2022 - VAGentleman wrote: 94 Points
Engaging evolving rich but well integrated with smoke, notes of pepper over prevailing blue and red fruit. Drinking beautifully once opened up. Very responsive to decant Wish I had more.
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1/9/2022 - PolarBear22 wrote: 95 Points
Still think this wine is fantastic. Decanted for 45 minutes. Fair amount of sediment. Nice ruby color. Great fruit on the nose and palate. Smooth tannins with a nice acidity. Had this with veal shanks (prepared similar to
osso bucco). Wonderful. And just sipped the last glass. Nice finish. I have one more, and I don’t think I’ll wait to long.
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1/8/2022 - Eric Wright Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP was tight. Fruit was overwhelmed by acid / tannin. Could have mistaken for pinot noir. After ~ 2 hour decant, fruit came forward in beautiful way. Well balanced.
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11/23/2021 - dagij Likes this wine: 95 Points
Consumed the day after a Beaucastel 2010, and what a difference between two wines from the same area! This one is transparent redberry colored, almost like a Pinot. The rim is slightly brownish, but the main impression is clear red. The nose is elegant (may I say so, the alcohol is 14,5%?) with clear notes of kirsch, warm earth, chocolate, and a tarry tone. In addition there is a "cool" tone - like menthe. Full bodied attack, sweet on the palate, lots of sweet cherry fruit combined with chocolate and pepper, very smooth tannins and a wonderful acidity it balance it all. Given the full punch this wine provides, it is also strangely elegant, even though the finish is a bit warm. The alcohol is nicely integrated, and the main impression is of a wine that is seamless and beautifully constructed. This is really a wine for eternity as it now - at 18 years of age - is strutting with healthy youth and vigor. If there is any objections, it may be a lack of the spice-tones that often follows Grenache based wines like this. However, a beauty! Drink now with some hearty game or lamb, or keep for God knows how long. The wine seems indestructible to me. Coming back to the Beaucastel, seven years younger, this is just another creature. This wine is an elegant cat, while the Beaucastel is more like a powerful dog (sorry for the inelegant comparison).
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11/13/2021 - jc01 Likes this wine: 92 Points
High toned, good fruit, long. Has Burgundian elements to it. Seems well structured but slightly unbalanced at the moment. I’m very interested to see how this will age. This was the first of my 6 bottles.
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11/3/2021 - jlgnml Likes this wine: 95 Points
Exceptional. Brilliant color flavorful nose right out f the glass. Decanted for an he and still has lingering tannins. Drink to enjoy.
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10/30/2021 - AWBryce wrote:
red fruits, herbal, some hints of oak; in a perfect spot, seamless on the palate, great fruit and a very long finish. complex and excellent, I'd be drinking now
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10/28/2021 - ChrisR Likes this wine:
At first it was somewhat muddled: dark flavors, a hit of brown sugar and very spicy. Eventually, it calmed down into sweet raspberry and cherry, with a chasing of earth. Soft textured and still a little plump, as one might expect from this age and vintage. Not the best bottle of this wine I've had.
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10/24/2021 - MWiking wrote:
drack vinet men inga notes.
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10/19/2021 - tim m wrote: 95 Points
This was fantastic. Certainly could cellar for more years. Really nice balance of red fruit turning earthy. Long long finish.
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10/3/2021 - BradA wrote:
Corked…. Just like the huskies against the beavers…. Double arghhhh.
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9/19/2021 - Zingrrl Likes this wine: 93 Points
Spectacular. Raspberry and a bit of pleasant char on the nose. The wine actually had a bit of zing but very flavorful and smooth. Very fine sediment. I have three bottles remaining and will drink over the next year or two.
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9/18/2021 - centropomus Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect cork. Nose exploded with sour cherry and macerated red berries. Smoldering tobacco and forest floor, but not until the raspberries and cherries dissipate. Plenty of grip and acidity left. Great bottle. Not for the decanter at all.
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8/13/2021 - Dako Likes this wine: 93 Points
Surprisingly still plenty fresh with attractive and pure forward red fruits, although absent any garrigue elements. An altogether delicious drink, and while these might easily ask a bit longer, there is no reason to wait expecting better.
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7/25/2021 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 94 Points
From magnum. Unfortunately, like many '03, already at the final days of its peak window, even in this format. The nose is not the over-the-top fruit it had early after it release and has turned into far more subtle and perfumed enchantment. Nonetheless, still a quality CDP with vibrant and dense red and black fruit in layers and a 20+ finish, some touches of spice, Oak and red currant with just the right amount of food acidity.
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7/14/2021 - robmatic wrote: 94 Points
Gamey, super herbal, raspberry. Powerful in the mouth, sharp, extracted, long, serious. Perfect now. Drink this.
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7/7/2021 - csimm wrote: 91 Points
2016 Chateauneuf du Pape 99/100 point wine taste-off (and a couple of pirate Rhone wines): A 2003 Clos des Papes was thrown into the mix, along with a couple of Mordoree Plum Peintre (2003 and 2005). The Clos was the freshest of the older wines, with an earthy profile that spit out wild raspberry fruit and more advanced flavors of oolong tea, leather, and bark. Bitter cherry and plum skin add interest.
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5/26/2021 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 91 Points
Nice wine but fading a bit even though this was from a magnum.
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4/23/2021 - robmatic wrote: 93 Points
Still drinking beautifully. Deceptively powerful with its pale ruby color. Really intense and focused. Long and herbal.
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4/16/2021 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 91 Points
Opened for about 2 hours before drinking. Initial tastes were great. Smooth fruit to start, a little earthy to finish. Nice aroma. It seems as though the longer it was opened it lost a little of everything. Still good, but probably time to drink all that I have as I don't think there is much more to gain from cellaring
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3/27/2021 - LT98 wrote: 94 Points
I was surprised how fresh this was considering the vintage. Good fruit, which was not surprising, but it was NOT overly ripe, and there was enough grip and tannins to carry it. Tar, herbs, and floral notes on the nose which carry through to the palette.
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3/16/2021 - neilsforest wrote:
A bit better than the bottles tasted previously. needs to be decanted many hours before drinking. Better than the 2003 Pierre Usseglio Cuvee de mon aieul drunk alongside it, which has been almost undrinkable over the last few years
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3/4/2021 - winecoffee wrote: 93 Points
Burnt tar and soft plum on the nose. With hints of cherry cola. A bit of rotten eggs initially, but I expect that to disappear with decanting. Palate is jammy and salty with fleshy licorice and red fruit. There is a certain bite to this wine that makes you want another sip!
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2/27/2021 - KenK Likes this wine: 93 Points
Really enjoyed this, dark rich ripe sweet black raspberry and plum fruits with a smooth texture and just a touch of heat. Plenty of spicy nuance and classic funk rounded this out nicely.
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2/26/2021 - Order66 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was sublimely haunting. What a nose. Scents of mushrooms, cranberries, black tea, thyme, rocks and dried strawberries. Simultaneously silky, yet refreshing. It has notes of cherries, rosemary/thyme, kalamata olives, cardamom, beefy meatiness and enveloping raspberry notes. I think it’s pretty close to peak- maybe 2-5 more years and this will be 95+ IMO.
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1/30/2021 - nkirsch wrote: 92 Points
Opened for an hour. smooth wine, some fruit with an earthy, slightly musty finish. good aroma.
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12/22/2020 - Mag357 Likes this wine: 92 Points
An interesting wine, powerful and somber nose, a glorious moody bastard, thick and dense, with concentrated black fruit and loads of sweet spices, glycerin and extract with polished edges. Ready to be drunk, but will hold well a couple of years but I do not think it will turn into a refined version of itself. Tannins slightly drier after extended decant. Do not know what to eat with that, its somber sweetness will probably hold Asian food spices and light chili...
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12/16/2020 - Nipperu wrote: flawed
Oxidized. Underlying wine seems interesting. Will try another bottle. 1st of 6 bottles.
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11/14/2020 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 95 Points
Excellent mature CdP. Beautiful game, earth and red fruit.
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11/11/2020 - Plabella Likes this wine: 97 Points
thts full body wine is loaded with beautiful dark fruit and alyors of taste that lasts in your palette.
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11/8/2020 - Trent Walker wrote: 93 Points
From magnum. Less expressive than the single bottle. Good but needs evolution so I will avoid the notes as I think this simply needs 5 more years in mag.
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9/20/2020 - honest bob wrote: 88 Points
From 75cl of impeccable provenance, perfect storage, perfect cork. Decanted 1 hour. Pale colour, showing some age. Cooked, boiled-sweet-like aromas and entry; darkish-red, overripe-sweet mid-palate fruit fights it out with a closed fist of blackberry/licquorice/rough tannins. Not a lot of fun – but if you like overripe Australian GSM you might like this. To me, this just tastes principally of the 2003 vintage (like the more unsuccessful red Bordeaux and so much red Burgundy, Alsace and German Pinot Noir) and only in the second instance of its (glorious) terroir. Fascinated to read PJRONeill's TN of 10.10.2019: obviously there are better bottles out there. Alas, this wasn't one of them. And amused to see the "View from the Cellar" 52P under "Professional Reviews" further down this page. Probably that score is a typo(?) but on the strength of this bottle might it be a Freudian typo? 87-88P
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8/30/2020 - peter.mancell@mfg.com.au Likes this wine: 94 Points
Fabulous CNdP, despite being 17 yo.
Lovey red and dark fruit, excellent mid weight texture, tannins completely absorbed and a beautiful finish.
Wish we had more!
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8/24/2020 - redders Likes this wine: 90 Points
Colour maturing. Nose slightly decaying fruit and spice. Lots of interest. Palate a little tired but alcohol not dominating. Enjoyable but not as good as the last bottle
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8/23/2020 - norsktorsk wrote: 94 Points
The cork fizzed when pulled. Somewhat orange in color. After a couple hours in decanter it came around and it's complex elegance came out.
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7/19/2020 - BayAreaWildcat wrote: 91 Points
Decided to open another to see if the oxidation of the last bottle an anomaly or not. Fortunately this bottle was not oxidized. However, the alcohol has never really come into balance. The fruit is still nice and tannins are softened, but the alcohol is still noticeable to me. I don't think this is really going to come around much more than it has.
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7/9/2020 - mukden Likes this wine: 92 Points
YEsSS. Still stunning ... getting close to the end ...❤️
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7/3/2020 - BayAreaWildcat wrote:
beginning stages of oxidation. sherry-like character. still had some dark fruit and a touch of heat, but oxidation was always there. Still drinkable but not pleasantly though.
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6/13/2020 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Served right after the Mouton 96, this had a much more Southern feel than usual, rich, sweet, spicy, sauvage, a real, red blooded neuf in the company of aristocratic Burgs and Bordeaux ...
#Jordnær
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5/30/2020 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
CDP Corona Tasting...gotta love it!: This wine was double decanted to get rid of sediment, poured into small jars around 4 pm, transported to individuals for the tasting, poured into glasses and tasted at 6:30 pm, tasted over the course of 2 hours. The wines were tasted single blind (we knew what all the wines were, but not which one we were tasting). The wines in this tasting were as follows:
1. 1998 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau
2. 2000 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
3. 2009 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin
4. 2007 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape
5. 2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape
The group's top 2 (which received almost all 1st or 2nd place votes) were the 2003 Clos des Papes (Number 1) and the 2000 Pegau (Number 2). My order was as follows: (1) 2000- Pegau, (2) 2003 Clos des Papes, (3) 2009 Janesse, (4) 2007 Beaucastel, and (5) 1998 Telegraphe. As a side note, my number 5 did not end up there because it was a bad, on the contrary, it was good, just happened to like the other wines better!
2003 Clos des Papes - This was the only wine I picked correctly! It was also the group's number 1 wine, but my number 2. The best part of this tasting was it confirmed, blind or not, I enjoy Pegau and Clos des Papes! Thankfully, that is what I mostly have for CDP in my cellar! This was classic Clos des Papes, with red and black fruit integrated with earth and grilled meat, some herbs and hint of blackberry pie. The wine is well balanced and the flavors are duplicated in the nose and palate. The nose is slightly subdued, especially compared to the Pegau, which I felt was the most fragrant of the 5 CDPs. A more pronounced nose would have likely elevated this wine to my number 1. The finish was medium and the mouthfeel was pretty full bodied and mouth coating. A delicious wine I enjoyed. I thought the Clos des Papes and Pegau stood out slightly from the rest of the pack, thus my 94 ratings. This was a solid 94, and a better nose on this bottle would have given it a +. It is drinking quite well now, but seems like it is no hurry to fade out. I suspect at least another 5 years easily.
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5/30/2020 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Single-blind Chateauneuf du Pape (Everyone's House): Single blind covid-style, so each wine delivered in a small jar. Pretty pretty fruit. Ripe berries, earhy, red bell pepper, the tannins are not strong. This was my wine of the night, although I scored it the same as the Janasse and the Pegau, and frankly the Beaucastel was only a half-step behind. All four wines were very good, with none of them extending into the 94+ range.
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5/28/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 93 Points
Virtual Single Blind CdP Tasting (Home): Dark red color with 1cm transition. Splash double decanted and served 2.5 hours later. Drank a glass single blind over 3+ hours. This was singing at the start; excellent nose, right there with the Pegau and maybe even a tad better. Floral, funk, earth, mushroom, perfumed red fruits, garrigue, and spice. The palate shows a medium body, red fruits, cherry, floral, soft and sleek, medium grained tannins, pepper, medium plus finish with some subtle heat. This really faded after the first hour and the heat became more prominent with the fruit fading and the spice really jumping out. I was sure this was the '03 Clos des Papes. 93pts over the first hour. My #2 and Group #1 WOTN.
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4/8/2020 - Laz4wine Likes this wine: 92 Points
Oldest CndP I can recall trying thanks to son's BY, he helped evaluate it which was fun to share impressions with him. On PnP it was a clear garnet gem, w/little sediment until decanting 2nd half of btl. Aromas hit with a strong dark chocolate/mocha and black raspberry profile, and perhaps briny olive/balsamic notes. Decanted 2+ hrs before serving with leg of lamb and white beans, and it had turned much more complex and nuanced with thyme, spices, earthy forest floor, and deep rich red/black fruits framed by still solid tannins and med- finish. Great pairing, only negative was after hour 5 it became a bit rough and closed losing some of the harmony enjoyed earlier. Though not much experience with CndP beyond ~8 - 10 years, I suspect this does have at least 5, perhaps 10 years ahead of it.
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3/30/2020 - LonnieLatour95 wrote: 90 Points
6th bottle from a case purchased last year and consistent notes with each. I used to adore this wine. At 5 to 10 years of age it had so much power, richness and complexity that I was sure this wine would have a long life ahead. However, and to my surprise and disappointment, that life has come to a premature end. The wine is enjoyable but it has lost the character, body and appeal that made it such a brilliant wine in its youth. It seems fully resolved and on a fairly steep downward hill. Medium bodied, sweet strawberry and blackcurrant but little complexity and a short finish. Drink up.
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3/8/2020 - Caruso Likes this wine: 96 Points
Ruby with slightly orange tinted rim. Nose of medium intensity, but complex and elegant. Cherries, incense, earth, herbs, strawberry, mushrooms, later olives. On the palate it shows still some adstringent tannins with low but enough acidity. Sometimes I wish I had all of this in its youth with its fruity exuberance and power. Now of course it is a more classic example of this. On the palate it has more power and lenght (after some airtime without decant) than the nose suggest. I decant a part of the bottle. The result is that the scents and flavors more become a chord loosing a bit of the nuances, but maybe getting more harmony and balance. A question of personal taste. All in all this is still outstanding to me, but not extraordinary as in its youth. Nevertheless it is going to age better than I expected. This will last and probably evolve for another decade if perfectly cellared since release imho. Purchases from secondary market should be consumed now. 5/13/18/10 -2029
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2/8/2020 - VlgJeff wrote: 92 Points
Virtually identical to our bottle on Dec. 13, '19. Decanted for 30 minutes (with sediment) to allow the wine to express itself. The medium bodied palate still yielded some dark red fruit, raspberry, earth, and spice. The acid is balancing and the tannins are integrated. Suggest enjoying in the next year.
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2/6/2020 - wizlb Likes this wine: 98 Points
Nearly 6 years later I am drinking a 2003 CDP and it’s delightful, a long finish and a crimson color!!
A Beautiful 17-year-old wine!
Clearly still a 98 point wine!!!
Don’t be fooled by the other reviews!!!
If you have a few bottles of this wine you might want to consider opening them soon!!!
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2/1/2020 - pjhr Likes this wine: 93 Points
Tasty ripe berry and earthy notes on the nose and palate with resolved tannins on the moderate finish.
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12/25/2019 - Rcapria Likes this wine: 91 Points
fruit filled and tart....balanced with soft tannins.
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12/24/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 92 Points
Roses and garrigue flavors. Very fine tannins. Light bodied despite the hot vintage. Nice earthy complex profile. Lots of sediment.
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12/13/2019 - VlgJeff wrote: 92 Points
Just a tad less enjoyable than our bottle one year ago. Decanted for 30 minutes (with sediment) to allow the wine to express itself. Age is catching up with this wine as everything seemed to be toned down a notch or two. The medium bodied palate still yielded some dark red fruit, raspberry, earth, and spice. The acid is balancing and the tannins are integrated. Suggest enjoying in the next year.
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12/9/2019 - Philippe_C wrote: 97 Points
Very roasted nose, ripe strawberries, BBQ, sandalwood... Very nice mineral cherries, hint of ripe pepers, nice traditional earthy style.
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11/2/2019 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
A good 6 years since we tried this at the Chateau ( Papies 92) and this now with age seems to just have a sweet spicy and juicy full on side of the 2003 vintage and as expected vert much an atypical CdP. Big as well with 14.5% Alc, rich but not heavy or burnt just juicy and very spicy. Not our cup of tea but still a good 90
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10/27/2019 - neilsforest wrote: 88 Points
I last tasted this in February of this year. It was disappointing then and still is. Decanted for 3 hours. Lacks weight and structure It’s dry on the finish with alcohol taking over I have read comments that suggest bottle/batch variation. I bought this directly from major supplier in early 2007 and it’s been in a temp controlled cellar since then
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10/12/2019 - robmatic wrote: 94 Points
Animal funk, super sharp spicy clove and pepper. Musky, herbal, and intense. Long, concentrated and explosive. Drinking beautifully now, but should last for many more years.
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10/10/2019 - PJRONeill wrote:
Evidently there are good bottles of 03 Clos des Papes and bad bottles, and its apparent that my stash are from the bad batch. I squirreled some away in storage for the last five years in the hope that time would do something, anything to them and while it has, it's only made them marginally less bad. The nose is still heavily weighted towards strawberry jam and a hint of burnt rubber and the palate is redolent of jolly ranchers and alcoholic heat. One of those early auction purchases when I put my trust in reviews but really had no clue which way was up. At least this winter's bolognese sauces won't be short of some red wine.
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10/6/2019 - Squirreljam wrote:
I loved this; wife thought it was jammy/plummy. Purchased around release from premier cru (remember them? :-), the cork on this bottle was pristine, capsule slid right off. From the pop, rich nose of still bright fruit and after a few minutes air, herbs and spices, perhaps a tiny amount anise. Color showed a bit of bricking but mostly a bright ruby red. All harshness had faded and I found lots of fruit, soft, but not descending into cloying or baked fruit (as my wife thought). Nice and juicy still, nice medium-length finish, really just loved this with broiled rack of lamb. I'm not good at exact scores but low-mid 90s for sure. I have one more left and will try to wait a few more years; while I don't think this needs any more time or will improve, it also should hold for a good while.
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8/30/2019 - jocelyng Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tertiary aromas on the nose: mushroom, earth. Lovely dark fruits with graphite and mineral in the intense mouth. Balsalmic notes on the long, supple finish.
Drink now, I think it will fade in the next 5 years.
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8/24/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 92 Points
Nice mature and complex CDP. Stewed strawberries and chocolate. A bit of heat.
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8/14/2019 - stephen locke Does not like this wine:
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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8/5/2019 - thomaskeil Likes this wine: 93 Points
Slow oxed x 3 hrs. Aging beautifully. Still with bright strawberry/cherry fruit, garrique, licorice on nose. To me the palate is unique to this vintage with medium plus weight, well-integrated tannins, and just enough acidity to balance the round fruit feel and keep it food-friendly. On a great plateau now and no sign of falling off.
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7/28/2019 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Tasted over two days, better on Day 2. At first, a wee bit petillant, quickly disappears and gives room to the very elegant Grenache-fruit, sweet and embracing, still with a lot of local feel. Very soft tannins.
Now, relax please, wait for the next one, no hurry here.
#Kandestederne
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7/11/2019 - redders Likes this wine: 92 Points
First from case. Clearly a controversial wine. I am not a lover of heavily muscled over ripe wine but I am a long time fan and buyer of Clos des Papes. I did not find this over the top. Certainly bigger styled than many vintages but there is balance and structure and some freshness in the finish. Yes it has some alcohol but this is CDP.overall I really enjoyed this and look forward to enjoying the rest of the case.
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6/1/2019 - pgm wrote: 95 Points
Looks young, and drinking young too. Pretty floral aromas, with raspberry and kirsch and something mineral and marine, barnyardy for a moment. It’s very nostalgic altogether: this smells like my idea of great wine when I first started getting into wine years ago.
In the mouth, it’s probably not as brawny as it once was, but it’s delicious, with plums and berries, a bit of licorice, and a lavender garrigue note that persists, slightly bitter, through the finish. Tannins are still definitely present, ultrafine but tongue-coating. Pleasure to come back to this wine and find that it’s still so familiar. This seems ageless at the moment, so it’s easy to forecast another 10 years at least.
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5/26/2019 - cubswinws Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank from magnum. Fully mature but lovely and likely quite good for awhile. Nice nose with soft tannins and good red fruited structure with a touch of mushroom on the finish.
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5/26/2019 - sharonandroland Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bretty, but at classic Rhone levels instilling character. Great evolutions. Balanced and a joy to dringk
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5/18/2019 - phynes wrote: 92 Points
Spicy, complex, soft, showing the heat of the vintage. Would not wait too much longer to drink up.
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3/13/2019 - beatles wrote: 96 Points
Really singing tonight; beatiful red fruit, still quite primary elegance, seemless balance. First bottle of case #2, and there is no hurry; this will be very long lived.
#PB
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2/25/2019 - neilsforest wrote: 88 Points
Disappointing. Improved after 2-3 hours decanting Lacked weight and structure. A bit dry with questionable balance and alcohol taking over. Based on this bottle it’s over the hill
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1/20/2019 - BradA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Oh man was this great, a truly tremendous wine with a deep core and a hint of iodine on the nose. Kirsch, tar and dark brambles across the palate. On night 2, there is still a strong backbone and a richness. Drink now thru 2025 for optimum enjoyment.
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1/14/2019 - LARich Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful and fresh. Still has a lot of life yet.
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1/1/2019 - Plabella Likes this wine: 98 Points
A chataeuneuf doesn't get better. Great dark fruit, herbs full body.
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12/24/2018 - UFGators Likes this wine: 95 Points
This cdp shows no hints of the hot vintage and is neither high in alcohol or overdone. More elegant than voluptuous this wine has a sweet nose and a medium long finish. Fully mature and don’t see any reason it will get better. Popped and poured.
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12/17/2018 - Karoline.phillips Likes this wine: 95 Points
Clear pale garnet, medium intensity nose of blueberries, black cherry, plum/prune, stewed mixed fruit, touch of cinnamon, vegetal/herby notes (thyme?), savoury. On the palate med++ acidity, chewy med++ tannins, touch of fruit, one to chew over and savour over the long length. A real treat!
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11/22/2018 - VlgJeff Likes this wine: 93 Points
Allowed to slo-ox for 1/2 hour, but continued to improve with more air during the dinner. So, recommend slo-ox of 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or full decant of 30 - 45 minutes. Either way, be aware of sediment.
Dark red fruit, kirsch, and garrigue on the nose. These all follow on to the palate with balancing acidity, and nicely integrated tannins. No sign of the extraordinarily hot vintage. Probably won't improve, but should hold for a couple more years.
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11/19/2018 - bjecjohnson Likes this wine: 91 Points
Was showing a lot differently than a previous couple of bottles that I really enjoyed. Definitely did not present as a 15 year old CdP as it felt fairly young.
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11/3/2018 - ChrisR Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cherries, garrigue and a strong note of grilled meat, which is unusual in a Clos des Papes. Medium-bodied, balanced, fresh (much fresher than my previous bottle, which tasted older than 15 years), not heavy at all. My best bottle yet of my original stash.
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10/27/2018 - Motz wrote: 93 Points
Surprisingly restrained and balanced for hot vintage CdP. No overt stewed fruit elements on the nose or palate, modest alcohol (14 percent), lighter weight than expected, with glycerin-like textures. It paired well with a range of small plates fare.
Not yet peaked, but squarely in its drinking window, and while it should last another five+ years, further improve seems questionable.
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9/30/2018 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This vintage is a great example of aged versus young wine. It is a joy to drink and explore even if you prefer younger or fresher wine like I tend too.
Opened and decanted for an hour. I did not decant longer because of its age. After 15 years in the bottle it has been exposed to some oxygen over time so giving it a lot more will only increase its downward timeline.
Still a dark purple in the center but nice bricking along its watery edge. Aroma's of black fruit with prune, dried herb and perhaps raisin.
On the palate this is well balanced, the tannin's are pretty resolved, the Alcohol is tame and the acids are in balance with the above. Flavors of prune, black fruits and dried herb make-up the majority of the taste. You can taste the layers and enjoying this wine with and without food was amazing. The flavor profile changed with the additional of fats or acids from food which is why I loved tasting this guy!
Overall I tend to enjoy younger or fresher wines but this aged beautifully and its complex layers are still present albeit getting dimmer. This was my 5th bottle and my last but I really enjoyed the years of drinking pleasure this gave me.
Its wine like this that makes the journey in wine so exciting to me!
In my opinion, if you have some drink them up you will not be disappointed. This is a well made quality wine that has entered the twilight year and does not have much more to give.
Cheers
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8/30/2018 - ChrisR Likes this wine:
Lots of variation with this wine; I have been fortunate to have purchased good bottles. Still good fruit: cherry mainly. Something dark and hard to identify: not really fruit, but not really earth either. A little sweet on the finish, like brown sugar or molasses. Plush but still lively. It tastes older than its age, but nonetheless tastes like a good example of an older CNdP.
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8/29/2018 - peterk Likes this wine:
Spectacular - layer upon layer of fruit and a finish that goes on and on. Love this. Lots of life ahead, but no need to wait - I'll not.
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8/23/2018 - Burgundy Mitch wrote: 89 Points
A bit disappointed. Lovely floral CNDP nose but lacking depth and weight on the palate with an alcoholic finish that drops off too quickly. Not a terrible wine by any stretch but there are better vintages of this out there for sure.
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8/18/2018 - Stefan75 wrote: 89 Points
Very strange, after opening everyone thought is had alight cork, strange smell but limited impact on taste, disappeared after about 60 minutes and became a mellow CndP from a hot hear. Good but not great
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7/16/2018 - Cailles wrote: 90 Points
A "porty" nose with dried and very ripe fruit, dried herbs, clean and not marked by alcohol. On the palate a beautiful tar minerality, just hints of dark chocolate, hints of meat but above all the dried ripe strawberries, figs, cherries, raisins. Good structure with mellowed tannins and a good acidity backbone. Medium bodied with a long finish.
I liked the structure and the aromatic precision but the aroma profile is not mine. Too port wine like, too much raisins, too ripe. I have an ambivalent relationship with CDP wines. On one hand I had some great, elegant wines (incl. some younger Clos des Papes) but on the other hand too many (older) supposed to be "fine wines" turned out to be just too much for my taste (too ripe and/or too extracted and/or too extreme aroma profile). It's a matter of taste and to be fair, others at the table liked this wine clearly better than I did (but nobody on a goosebumps level).
Decanted it for roughly two+ hours. Opened up and gained weight, hence I advise to decant at two to three hours.
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5/26/2018 - Jack wrote: 96 Points
Takes time for the spritz to blow off but once it does it's excellent. Give .t 2 hours of air or more.
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5/26/2018 - Rcapria wrote: 88 Points
fell flat quickly after a long decant not as good as I thought it would be.
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5/4/2018 - DCHawkeye Likes this wine: 95 Points
Wow. Just a "wow" wine at Frontera Grill in Chicago, with the beef brisket and black mole. Drinking absolutely beautifully.
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3/14/2018 - beatles wrote: 95 Points
What a wonderful wine, this is. Elegant, en danseuse, starts out with minerals galore, even a wee bit petillant, sweet red fruit, hints of the homeland, garrigue etc. Grows in the glass. Fine future ahead of this one, never had a dissapointing bottle ...
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3/3/2018 - Dubliner wrote: 93 Points
This one is evolving beautifully - elegant with peppery garrigue and a 30 second finish. Well worth the wait.
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2/18/2018 - BradA Likes this wine: 94 Points
Really smooth with a hint of bacon fat on the back end. This is my kind of wine! Spices, garrique and tar on the nose followed by some bramble and deep fruits, a mouth coating finish with a hit of tar.
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2/11/2018 - grapenomad wrote: 87 Points
Raspberry punches you in the throat on this one, but gorgeously opens up to notes of dark chocolate, cumin, dried cranberry, burnt cigars and horse leather. A bit unbalanced, especially when rocking towards the finish. Tertiary notes suddenly appear on the mid-palate which tells me this is cracking up its peak. Heavily old school wine with its elements confusingly all over the place.
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2/5/2018 - Blake Brown Likes this wine:
2003 CLOS des PAPE CHATEAUNEUF du PAPE- it`s rare for this tasting group to get duplicates, but we did in this case; bottle #1 was redolent with black cherry from the nose through the tail; there was a briary blackberry component as well and a touch of dark chocolate by mid palate.
2003 CLOS des PAPE CHATEAUNEUF du PAPE- the 2nd bottle was very similar to the first except that the fruit was fresher and ripe and less briary.
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2/5/2018 - KenK Likes this wine: 92 Points
A slight bit horsey, yet dark black tarry aromas quote inviting. Dark warm ripe flavors with anise, black oil, and black fruits. Nice density and good lift. Packs a heavy punch yet remains relatively friendly. Long finish, very old world in style. A love it or hate it kind of style.
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2/4/2018 - Burgundy Al wrote:
Good Wine with an Exciting Super Bowl (Chez Kailin - Northbrook IL): Small glass, brief note. Very ripe with borderline balance. I've enjoyed previous bottles of this wine more.
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1/31/2018 - Quiet Lion Likes this wine: 94 Points
Popped and poured for State of the Union blind tasting. Beautiful, youthful CdP with floral bouquet. Balanced, deep red fruit with a touch of salinity on the palate. My close WOTN and tied for the group's.
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1/10/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Concentrated, lush and full bodied, the powerful wine kicks off with jammy black cherries, pepper, figs and Provencal herbs. Not exactly delicate, this is more focused on the volume and stylistic character. There is a touch of dryness in the finish that is not off putting, but part of the wines character. There is no touch of heat or over-ripeness here. Still young, this is not your grandmother's Clos des Papes.
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12/31/2017 - JOsgood wrote:
Hanging in there. Lots of warm fruit here with a touch of funk on the finish. Outclassed by the 2005 and 2010 served side-by-side.
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12/25/2017 - DesMarteau wrote:
Fruit dead...disappointed...flaw?
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12/21/2017 - jsebiri wrote:
Full blown, full wine. Everyone like this juice, very nice.
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12/21/2017 - mukden wrote: 94 Points
YES. Still really good, lovely secondary development.
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12/14/2017 - Doc90 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose of strawberry jam on cornbread, mushrooms, tar, and garrigue. The fruit is a little more pronounced on the nose now compared to when I last had it 3 years ago. Light in weight, delicious mature strawberry jam fruit. A masculine lining of tarry horse stable floats across and lingers on a long finish. Absolutely none of the 'hot vintage' worries are displayed in this wine. This was the first CdP I ever had, and it is still a favorite.
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11/25/2017 - mclanew Likes this wine: 96 Points
Every bottle I have had of this recently completely delivers the goods as it seems to be in a great drinking window where it has retained its power while developing terrific complexity at the same time. Complex nose, fully mature, fleshy, complex mid palate with flavors of tobacco, red currant, spices and roasted meats. Despite the high alcohol levels it isn’t noticeable.
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10/18/2017 - rcvx Likes this wine: 94 Points
nice bottle, natural cork, this is deep red, showing notes of ripe fruit (not overcooked or stewed as others have been noticing), tea, incense and game. Delicious in mouth, fruity and tannic, but ripe and silky, with a long finish. Holding or not is a matter of taste; to me this is drinking beautifully now.
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10/14/2017 - whitmanlholt wrote: 88 Points
Popped and poured. This is a medium-red wine with some modest sediment toward the end of the bottle. Decanting wouldn't hurt but also isn't necessary. On the nose, I get sweet figs, prunes, a touch of heat, some slight herbs, and (a bit into the botttle) black tea. In the mouth, this is mouth-coating and fairly heavy, with slight bits of red fruit, and a sweet, raisin-hinted finish. Overall, this is significantly better than other bottles of 2003 Clos des Papes. That said, it still is mared by the vintage and doesn't have usual lively acidity and overall complexity I've grown to expect from this producer. This also seems to be on the downward slope and is losing whatever complex notes it had and leaving the stewed fruit; I don't see much prospect of further improvement with age. This was my last bottle of 2003 CdP, and I am not sad to say goodbye -- I've had too many overheated and raisiny bottles of 2003 CdP. 88 points.
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10/13/2017 - handyjason Likes this wine: 98 Points
Delicious - it stood up well to some older Bordeaux that we had alongside it, though we benefited from drinking this one first.
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9/30/2017 - ParisFan wrote:
So rich and complex. A bit funky but in the best way
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9/25/2017 - stephen locke Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Coravin sample from a fresh bottle
Similar to my last note except the tannin wall was more intrusive
- ripe fruit but a harsh wall of tannin that clashes at the midpalate. Did melt a little with food.
Overall I'm glad I sold all but a few singletons - not a great wine for me
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9/23/2017 - Frank Schneider wrote: flawed
Cooked
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9/21/2017 - bonedoc wrote: 91 Points
Some clos des papes (one of my favorite producers) aromatics and fruit profiles are here, but the wine is in a hot, stewed prune fruit style which doesn't lend to the typical elegance and balance I love from this house. I've got one more and will pair w something large scaled.
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9/17/2017 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Solid showing. Considering the vintage, this was relatively lithe and understated. Red fruit on the sweeter side of the spectrum, dusty tannins, a little spice, not over extracted or overly ripe. Never would have pegged this as an 03.
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9/12/2017 - Musigny1955 Does not like this wine: 78 Points
{purchased on release in metro Boston, perfect storage and fill, Pop'N Pour} Stewed overly ripe fruit nose, initially (for 25 minutes) ripe forepalate with very short finish. Worsened over time... and attack has both stewed fruit and acid, and the length ... shortened. At half an hour nothing attractive in the nose. Generic Cote du Rhone is better. Sigh. Please see my note from 4/2016, with bottle from my San Francisco storage - i thought that bottle was pretty miserable and this bottle is both consistent and a bit less good. Given a 78 as it is red, has alcohol, and if without anything else would be quaffable. But the longer it remains open and I taste it the lower the score goes.
If you want a good 2003 try Vieux Donjon. Very well made and a long-term ager in my experience. A counterpoint to this, usually one of my favorite producers. Not a knock on all 2003s.
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8/27/2017 - soyhead wrote:
This bottle not to my liking. Stewed red fruit.
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7/26/2017 - beatles wrote: 95 Points
while other post-2001 vintages of this wine sometimes seems a bit to heavy, this keeps singing, very Pinot-like, as of now, very much on the Grenache, sweetness, garrigue. Unchanged on Day 2.
#Kandestederne
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7/6/2017 - BigJ wrote:
Rich, roasted and rather port like. Heady fruit and really quite complex. I found this to be in a place which had resolved tannin and seemed like was drinking at a good stage of its life. Not to my taste, but no obvious fault in the wine.
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6/16/2017 - HowardNZ Likes this wine: 92 Points
To be honest, I was a bit worried whether this 2003 might be overripe and overdone due to the vintage, but it wasn't ... Drunk over three evenings, during which time neither the bouquet nor the palate budged ... A nose of cassis, smokey bonfire, stewed plums and garrigue, with tar and a touch of black pepper. In the mouth, rich, unctuous, powerful and flirting with surmaturité and roasted fruit, but saved by elegance and silkiness. The winemaker has managed to retain some freshness. Red cherries, dark chocolate, espresso, liquorice and plums. Also some beef stock. Big boned, weighty and dense. Alcohol a relatively reasonable 14.5% (no alcoholic burn on the finish). Sleek and pretty seamless but with some slightly bitter, grippy, tarry tannins on the finish. Others will no doubt rate this wine higher than me. About there now for optimal drinking, I think, but no hurry needed.
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5/18/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
Much better than a bottle tasted a few months ago, still, while there was a lot to like here, with its jammy kirsch, spice, earth and peppery profile, this is not a wine I'd hold for more development. Drink up over the next few years is my advice.
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5/14/2017 - nchexal wrote: 96 Points
Opened an '01 La Nerthe before opening this and wow! Blackberry, cherry on the nose, fruit bomb on the palate. Smooth, oh so smooth, entire table of 6 were blown away by this. Modern CDP, could go another 10 years in the cellar easy.
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4/25/2017 - felixp Likes this wine: 95 Points
beautiful CNDP. Not sure what all the fuss is about, this is a fantastic wine from a problematic vintage.
classic CNDP nose and palate, red fruits, garrigue, road tar and orange blossom. Certainly a "wow" wine, whilst this might have been seen as over the top and a touch too flamboyant a decade ago, this has settled into a super classic, gorgeous red.
Highly recommended. A great example as to why good wines need 15 years in the cellar.
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2/22/2017 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
From Magnum. 2 Hour decant and it needed it. Classic CDP nose. Layers of red fruits with some black and blue underneath. Not much spice but lovely earthiness to it. Very smooth.
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2/20/2017 - Bernt Olav wrote: 94 Points
En flott flaske! Fint moden og ikke over toppen som jeg ser enkelte andre opplever. Intens aroma med preg av kircsh, mørke bær, lakk, te, urter. I munnen er den fyldig og med sødmefull frukt samtidig med høy syre og tannin som gir vinen balanse og ryggrad. God lengde. Fungerte utmerket til rådyrgryte.
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2/12/2017 - tcosgriff Does not like this wine: 80 Points
Purple-orange color with a bouquet and flavor dominated by beef bouillon and barbecue notes with a harsh impression on the palate. Probably over the hill and not representative of most bottles of this wine, judging from other tasting notes.
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2/12/2017 - FredericoWines wrote: 87 Points
Fruity nose (blackcurranthe, prune) quickly faded away after 30 minutes in decanter. Earthy and leathery on palate. No more tannin. Simple and straightforward not as complex as expected.
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2/11/2017 - Magnum PI Likes this wine: 96 Points
Brookie and I had this at The Oven with our usual vegetarian dishes, decanted for an hour or so. Our first bottle of Clos Des Papes in any vintage. Brookie and I had a very different impression right out of the chute: Brookie got overwhelming mint, and I got a range of dark fruit, creosote, and some tobacco. We called Charley over to settle the dispute. We told him that one of us got mint and the other creosote. He took a sip or two and never told us what he thought. Always the diplomat!
The wine is delicious, somewhat modern, in my opinion, balanced, awesome, long finish. There is so much going on here, that if it develops any more I would probably raise my score, but as is, this is more than just a very good bottle. It is a masterful example (in my superinformed opinion) of the interplay between weight and balance and purity.
There is no reason to hurry with this wine. If you have a few bottles you could space them out over the next decade. If you have the opportunity to pick up a couple, I highly recommend that you do. One of the better $100 bottles of French wine I have had in the last couple of years. Let's hope the Chinese don't catch on.
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2/10/2017 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
Hopefully, as my instincts say, this was an off bottle. Much of the freshness and red fruit were missing, and instead, the wine showed an intense jammy, fig like quality that was far too overripe, and flabby. This was from the same case as other bottles that have been stunning. So, sadly, your guess was as good as mine.
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2/3/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
Healthy ruby but unhealthy nose-musty but not corked, then bark (Mourvedre?), and then it decomposed into a volatile, alcoholic hot mess. Some brown spice, but thin and alcoholic in the mouth. Not tasted since 2005; I hated it then, and I hated it in its more mature, fully expressed form tonight.
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1/24/2017 - mclanew Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drinking beautifully now with a taste of being fairly fully mature. Black fruits, spices, Kirsh, forest floor. Medium bodied with beautiful balance and subtlety.
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12/26/2016 - Frank Schneider wrote: 96 Points
Merry chrismas !!!!!!!!!! Lovely ! I love it
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12/24/2016 - beatles wrote:
Of the 3 different 2003’s opened (Marcoux VV, Pegau Réservée), this seemed the least ready; initially, one does detect a slightly petillant character, but otherwise, this a classic showing; local, elegant, certainly turning lighter and lighter, but in no way getting to old. On day 2, putting on some body and more local character, still vibrant on day 3, just everchanging, really. I shall pause now, in opening these… wait a year or so for the next.
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12/20/2016 - Mr T wrote:
another solid bottle...this is very ripe stuff, so still prefer it closer to cellar temp to maintain balance. 93
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11/27/2016 - ericegan Likes this wine: 92 Points
Death by coravin. Good the first time. Numb the a month later.
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11/23/2016 - stephen locke wrote: 90 Points
Well, how time can change a wine - last bottle in 2010 and it was a mess.
This bottle - ripe fruit dark red fruits with licorice and herbs. Still fresh and interesting - quite refreshing. A long finish. My one issue is some drying tannins which melted well with food, but without food were slightly jarring.
Very enjoyable overall
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11/22/2016 - RR47 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very nice bottle, medium/dark red. About 30 minutes of open time and found earth, the red dark berry spectrum, integrated tannins. It continued to bloom with time. Paired with a 2000 Pierre Usseglio Cuvée de mon Aïeul for a short rib dinner main course. The Clos des Papes had a slight advantage in the voting.
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11/14/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Double decanted then SO'd for a few hrs, medium ruby; similar to prior note & ready to drink. Great CDP!
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10/2/2016 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Not as robust as it was during the prime of its youth, but then who is? Layers of sweet, ripe, very ripe and over ripe dark red fruits, licorice, spice, earth, herbs and kirsch liqueur are all over the place. Rich, lusty, but not over the top, this is not a wine to hold from here.
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9/3/2016 - Burgundy Al wrote: 91 Points
Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): Ripe black fruit aromas with sweet spice that are overall quite enticing. Same flavors, slightly more roasted and less enticing but still very enjoyable and nicely balanced. I can't recall tasting this wine since shortly after release and think I liked it more when younger.
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9/3/2016 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
SO'd for a couple of hrs then decanted for another, garnet with a touch of brick on the rim, jammy red fruit with some spice, soft tannins, long finish; delicious & ready to drink. Not sure how much longer this will last, but great at present!
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8/3/2016 - Frank Schneider wrote: 97 Points
Drank with champussi !!! Bought this on release and watched over it for a long time !! Now its judgement day ! Wow what a wine . Loved it so much . All the cherry and dark berry stuff your looking for , opening a Clos des Papes . Medium to full body. Long and smooooooth . Its now at peak . And will stay there for a long time. Drink or hold or buy if you find any !!!
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8/3/2016 - champussi Likes this wine: 96 Points
Der Wein ist jetzt voll trinkreif! Trotz des heissen Jahrgangs verfügt der Wein über eine schöne Säure und wirkt dadurch sehr elegangt, frisch, trinkanimierend und verhältnissmäßig leicht für einen Ch9. Er hat einen mittleren bis vollen Körper. Es herrschen rote früchte und mediterrane Kräuter vor. Die Aromatik erinnert mich ganz stark an den kürzlich getrunkenen 2006er Mon Aïeul von Usseglio. Die Gerbstoffe sind wunderbar integriert. Keine Spur von Überreife oder Ähnlichem! Ein großer Rotwein in seiner vollen Blüte! Bestimmt bis 2022.
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7/13/2016 - beatles Likes this wine: 95 Points
Ib & Pia in Kandestederne (Kandestederne): still no signs af declining - and furthermore, no signs of the heated 2003; hail Mourvèdre. This showed at bit more like the real McCoy, a neuf close to the soil, barnyard, sweet Grenache, rustique, but elegant nonetheless. The length is impressive. Ib liked this one a lot, as did I...
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7/6/2016 - mdvino63 wrote: 75 Points
Lyle Fass's note pegs it. Hot, overbearing and undrinkable. Couldn't get past 2-3 tastes before pouring it out. That despite the fact that 1) I generally love CDP, and 2) 2001 Clos des Papes is a contender for best red wine I've had in the past year. The 2003 is unbearable, however - at least from this bottle.
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7/5/2016 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 95 Points
CDP Session (Rayas) (Extra Space): Poured into decanter and drank over 3 hours.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, purplish ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium intensity, with aromas if earth, red cherry, licorice, and some savoury soy sauce with more air. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol (14.5%), smooth high tannins, full body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of sweet concentrated red cherries, sweet red plums, licorice, earth. Long long finish.
Very good quality. Maintains elegance despite the full body and intensely sweet ripe fruit. Just made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside. Drinking at peak now. Drink up.
Could it possibly be because of the vintage that results in such a wide variation in tasting notes between bottles stored under different conditions? Just some thoughts.
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6/30/2016 - JonnyG Likes this wine: 90 Points
The Taste Pilots, 2.0: Grenache Night (An Undisclosed Gem of a Private Room Somewhere in Buellton, CA): Not the best bottle, I fear, as this came off as somewhat one-dimensional, in contrast with a host of glowing notes from others. Very tawny in color, so perhaps advanced? There was evident heat on the nose, along with black cherries. Candied fruit on the palate, plenty of tannins, but a bit simple overall.
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6/11/2016 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Ma dernière bouteille....j'avais l'impression de dire adieu à un vieux copain qui quitte le pays!
Celle-ci fut excellente, sur le kirsch et la garrigue, très classique. Elle n'avait pas la dimension supplémentaire de finesse, presque magique, que quelques bouteilles de ce vin ont montré au fil du temps. Mais c'était un très beau Châteauneuf, au style traditionnel, un peu chaleureux comme bien des 2003, puissant mais sans excès, savoureux et complexe. CellarTracker me confirme que j'ai acheté 17 bouteilles de ce vin, sur une décennie! Que de bons souvenirs. Allez l'ami, ce n'est qu'un au revoir :) 93 pts
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6/10/2016 - Zweder wrote:
Different from the bottle I drank (from another source) last April. In the bouquet the wine was extremely ripe and a bit like Port wine. On the palate in fact the same, a lot of sweetness and very ripe, currants. The alcohol is showing. There was a lot of discussion about this wine; too hot? Or not? And to be honest, I could understand the discussion. This bottle was by far not as good as the one I had in April… No score for today.
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5/20/2016 - rralls wrote: 90 Points
I'm in the camp this was an overripe vintage.
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5/6/2016 - beatles Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is turning in to Rayas-like elegance; it is light on its feat, almost a little bit petillant at first, needs to settle a bit, then the fresh fruit is quite overwhelming, texture is light, some garrigue here, it is a chateauneuf, but there is no heat, no 2003 notes. More heavy on day 2, with deeper, darker notes, some plumb, I would opt to drink this after some hours of air. Will live, certainly, but I think it is a point right now. #Kandestederne
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4/24/2016 - Musigny1955 Does not like this wine: 83 Points
(Bottle purchased on release and stored in SF cellar. Pulled 2 days before dinner, perfect fill. Pop and pour with family, AWM). Initially gamy nose with roasty palate. About 30 minutes in, began to fall apart and by 45-50 minutes was cracked up with high alcohol, no palate length/finish. Have 2 more bottles in SF and hope this is not a 2003 vintage issue, as this is one of my favorite domains. Scored this high in case you could have swilled it down quickly.
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4/23/2016 - Zweder wrote: 96 Points
Occasional dinner group; A vertical of 15 vintages Clos des Papes and some great extra's. (@ B in SvG): In the bouquet beautifully ripe red and dark forest fruits, cherries, garrigue and some pleasant rustic impressions. On the palate the same very ripe fruits, herbs and spices, good acidity and soft and round tannin with still a pleasant and soft bite. Full bodied and concentrated wine. The wine is completely ready now and will stay on this level for several years. Until 2020 at least. Overall this 2003 was, together with the 2006 the best wine of the evening, for the moment of tasting. The 2003 because it is perfectly ready now and the 2006 because of its freshness and lovely bite. But it could well be some of the younger vintages might score even higher than 96 when they become of age.
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4/9/2016 - MC2 Wines wrote: flawed
April Acker Auction (Marea): Suspect the bottle might have been flawed - fruit was coming across as stewed and the wine had an aged characteristic that seemed more pronounced than I would have expected compared to some other '03 CdPs of late.
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3/27/2016 - tim m wrote: 94 Points
This is really drinking nicely. Opened and aired for two hours. Initial impression was acid is a little high, but that softened with some time. Really excellent on day two. I recommend you aerate and decant for three or.four hours. Excellent wine with a lot of stuff left for many years.
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3/27/2016 - brihprivat wrote: 85 Points
warm, overripe prunes, alkohol too dominating. Not balanced, like many 2003s not really my style
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3/16/2016 - Rudkilde Likes this wine: 90 Points
Kanske dåligt... Myclet läder.. Kanske lite hästsvett..??? Men jag tyckte det var gott och ok... Nyfiken på dem andra kan det ha varit förvarat för varmt?
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3/11/2016 - lcliff Likes this wine:
Consistent with my previous bottles, there is an enormous amount of "fizz" upon opening (which I have found on many occasions with other southern Rhone wines). After shaking out the fizz (shaking the bottle with the palm of my hand covering the opening and then slightly opening my palm to allow the fizz to escape...like shaking and releasing fizz from a bottle of Coca-Cola), it's an excellent bottle of Chateauneuf!
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2/27/2016 - Ex-Ray Likes this wine: 92 Points
Part of a 12-bottle blind tasting of Rhones put on by my partner and me. Light color. Unusual acetic nose, sweet and sharp, definitely different from the others. It was not corked, just had this somewhat sweet chemical aroma, which partially blew off. The fruit was quite good, nice berry fruit, soft and very approachable, fully mature but at the end of its plateau. I'll have to try another bottle to see if it's the same.
Ric
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2/14/2016 - smphelps wrote: 89 Points
Tasted blind along side what turned out to be Aquilon 2005 and Sine Qua Non Stein 2012 so this was the oldest of the group. The most delicate of the group, presenting as a lighter hazy crimson. More spice tea than fruit, with some prickly tannins left to resolve even after this time. Much different in style than the other two. Tasted after a 5 hour decant.
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2/10/2016 - HongKongPhooey wrote: 87 Points
Alcoholic, spirity nose on opening. Porty scents, big wine. Cloudy, presumably unfiltered? I did wonder if slightly volatile but it's a confused wine from a hot vintage and I really struggled to love it. The body is good and it doesn't taste as alcoholic as the nose suggests but I'd have to say it's out of balance. I've had a case of this and persisted in the hope that I find a stunning bottle but they all seem to be consistent with these characteristics. Unconvincing.
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2/5/2016 - d'Artagnan wrote: 92 Points
Ouvert quatre heures avant le lunch au QG.
Nez typé d'anis, de garrigue. Bouche voluptueuse et gourmande, c'est très bon mais pas la plus grande que j'ai prise de ce vin. 92 pts
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1/23/2016 - PC73 wrote: 92 Points
Initially nice fruit on nose. Quite sweet.
Menthol, licorice, cough medicine, spice in the palate.
Definitely tastes like it should from the Rhone.
There are elements of the hot vintage in this wine, but I found it more balanced than feared and others seem to have.
A big wine, but decent balance and worth trying.
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1/16/2016 - tcarter Likes this wine: 92 Points
Terrific CdP. Exactly what you'd want it to be with 13 years age. Drank from a magnum and was drinking perfectly right now. Paired with coq au vin.
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1/10/2016 - Markus IWC wrote: 93 Points
Ungdomens frukt och bäriga inslag är nu förpassade till bakgrunden, fram träder en elegant ståndsmässig skapelse med mörk frukt, körsbär med lite liköriga toner, jord, mylla, örtiga och exotiska kryddor. Härligt välbalanserad och komplex. Fortfarande kraftfull och full av liv, den här håller många år till!!
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1/9/2016 - Xavier Auerbach wrote: flawed
A private tasting and dinner at a friend's (Amsterdam): Massively corked, alas.
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11/28/2015 - Collector1855 wrote: 89 Points
Medium-dark ruby. Nose of red fruit, confiture, sweet spices, strawberry. Enters the palate full bodied with a bit drying tannins, seems to be tad overextracted, and alcoholic heat on the finish. I think the 2003 heatwave took its toll in this wine as well. I much prefer the 2010. 88-92, depending on how much you like this "hot" style.
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11/27/2015 - Paul S wrote: 92 Points
I wrote one of my very first tasting notes on this wine almost 8 years ago. I am not sure whether it is my tastes changing, or whether the wine has not aged all that well, but while still good, I did not quite enjoy it as much this time round as the half bottle all those years back. The nose struck me as rather noticeably sweeter and darker than I normally associate with Clos des Papes, with a slightly cooked character to its notes of cherries and berries, along with dried violets, garrigue and touches of earth and spice. The palate also came across as very sweet at first, even needing more acidity as it attacked with plenty of sweet cherry and berry flavours. Thankfully, it opened up quite nicely with time, showing more typical Clos de Papes hallmarks of elegance and clarity in its fruit, along with bits of spice and earthy mineral lending a bit of complexity and nuance. While it had a nice sense of shape and structure to it, I felt the wine was a tad drying at the finish and would perhaps have liked just a bit more freshness. Otherwise, it was actually quite nice. On the evidence, I think one should start drinking before the fruit fades behind the more drying elements.
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11/23/2015 - Mr T wrote:
PNP with family dinner and paired with excellent NY strip steak. This wine was nicely chilled and very well balanced and fully mature. Very very pretty...would score 94-95
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11/20/2015 - jonnyoro wrote: 97 Points
Might as well copy the last note. Close to a leaker but not. Supple, delicious, smooth, balanced, nearly perfect. But this is at the zenith of its curve and time to drink up... I wouldn't wait any longer and as luck would have it, this is my last bottle...
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10/31/2015 - walkerjfw wrote: 93 Points
Halloween night, with Stephanie/Chris/Rosalind/Eileen, second red of the evening, with a variety of wood fired pizzas...First bottles from this vintage from my cellar. Decanted for about 2 hours prior to drinking - wine was good when opened but the decant makes a big difference w/secondary flavors and letting the wine settle.
Dark crimson/purple color.Nose was dark fruits, garrigue, some heat that blew off. Palate was dark fruits, bramble, sweet spices, cinnamon. Some sweetness on the mid palate.
Wine is still very primary and fruit forward for a CdP. Will likely settle in with some more cellar time, but I dont think this will approach the 05 or 07 in terms of complexity. Good wine, but not a great CdP
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10/24/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Ouvert quatre heures à l’avance, il était superbe!
Fruit rouge, kirsch, un peu d’anis, la bouche montre une élégance rare voire inattendue pour le millésime. Un grand Châteauneuf devenu presque Bourguignon, de par sa texture et sa finesse. 95 pts
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10/22/2015 - brihprivat wrote:
Sampled with Coravin. Hmmm....doesent really now what to think about this. Seems somehow muted and lacks fruit. It opened a bit after some time in the glass. try again in a year or two
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10/15/2015 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
TTTG (2003s blind tasting) (Steve): Spirit-like nose of ripe berry; quite hot on the nose -- keep away from flames. On the palate, very ripe fruit, sweet spices; brambly. Very little structure (low tannin and acid). Lush and silky, but overly ripe and sweet. Not enjoyable.
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10/15/2015 - Saint Stephen wrote:
Some Like it Hot - 2003s, TTTG at Steve's (Steve's House): Good heavens I don't know what to make of this wine. Fourth bottle I've opened (admittedly over several years) and each time it's like spinning the Wheel of Mystery. You never know what you're gonna get. I half expect the next bottle to taste like Chablis. This specimen was entirely ass-kicking, but not entirely in a good way. I think I recall David describing this through gritted teeth and some defibrillator gestures as young dry port on steroids.
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9/26/2015 - nkirsch Likes this wine: 95 Points
Delicious. Didn't decant but opened about an hour before drinking and it was very good. Got smoother as the night went on. Flavorful with just a hint of that aged, slightly musty aroma. Can easily age a while longer
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9/13/2015 - vintman Likes this wine: 97 Points
Too bad I only have 6 of these. First bottle from the pack and have been cellared for 10yrs. Excellent wine. Really opened up after decant. I have a 2004 I'll try next. Am I the only guy that drinks wine on football Sunday!?!?! My favorite region Rhone/CDP!
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9/12/2015 - The Vines That Bind Likes this wine: 90 Points
Have had a few of these, and while they are consistent, they are really good, not really great. Still very big and primary, greener than expected. Would be interested to see what this is like in 10 more years. Quite vegetal with some red berry able to sneak through. Not overly exciting.
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9/4/2015 - camben Likes this wine:
One of the finest wines i have ever tasted.
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8/30/2015 - beatles wrote: 95 Points
very fresh and vibrant and tasted vis-vis a bottle of the 2004, this seemed much younger and lighter on it's feat, en danseuse, almost; lots of garrigue and locale here, sweet Grenache, a wine that is slowly, oh so slowly, heading in the direction of the elegant presence of a mature Clos des Papes. For now it is still young though, and I shall have to wait another year for the next one. #with PB&BHchezmoi
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8/25/2015 - ski695 wrote: 92 Points
Tasted form 375. Best showing for me to date but did not try right on release. Mellowing out into a more "traditional" CdP profile. Very smooth, very ripe, and nice long finish. I still get some heat on it but not as disjointed a few years ago.
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8/21/2015 - nywine68 wrote:
Gorgeous. Beautiful smoky and plum notes. Round mouthfeel. Tastes like stewed cherries. Great complexity and huge intensity
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8/16/2015 - Plabella Likes this wine: 95 Points
great wine with great frineds.
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8/1/2015 - WillersC wrote: 95 Points
Really very impressive. Drinking a point. Still has some tannin and structure, but e mouthfeel,complexity and length is really impressive. Some roasted fruits but very much held in check with a pm impressive lightness of being and serious nature that makes this wine very special. My last bottle and as tends to happen, the last was the most impressive
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7/27/2015 - tomlee wrote: 96 Points
Light crimson in color. 14.5% ABV. Soaring nose of ripe red fruits, grilled meats, white pepper and iron. Dense, concentrated and immensely powerful. Full bodied with more than enough acidity. Super fresh with exceptional balance. Garrigue, kirsch, pepper, raspberries and strawberry liqueur on the palate. The finish is exquisite. For my money there is nothing controversial about this wine. Great bottle from a great producer. Exciting Châteauneuf-du-Pape that will continue to develop for at least another 5-7 years.
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7/26/2015 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Un nez un peu renfrogné, avec des dates, du kirsch, viande grillée.
Puissant et riche, long et profond, plus sec que le Pegau, un peu austère en comparaison. Excellent, mais pour une première fois en trois ans, il cède le plancher au Pegau ce soir là. 93 pts
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7/26/2015 - lunalees Likes this wine: 97 Points
Wood, tobacco, wild flower, berries and honey nose. Impressive CDP. Finish was really long enough. I could feel alcohl but it was feel bad. Had power and seemed could be aging just a little while. decanted for 3 hours and drank for 2 hours. Last glass was most smooth and the best. Regret I don't have this in my cellar any more.
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6/22/2015 - Plabella wrote: 98 Points
beautiful wine
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6/18/2015 - dcwino wrote: 95 Points
TN: Rhone dinner (The Grill Room at Capella Hotel Georgetown): This also shows incredible well. The best bottle of the 03 Clos des Papes I had. More red fruit driven compare to the 03 Pegau, intense ripe sweet red fruits, cherry, strawberry, raspberry, rare steak, animal and earth. Exceptional concentration, intense jammy red fruit driven palate impression, nicely layered fruits, good acidity, nicely integrated tannins and lovely long finish. This also needs another decade but is already quite enjoyable.
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5/18/2015 - drmarclevine wrote: 92 Points
Decanted 3 hours. Soft nose of balsam, tree sap, and dusty cherry. Round and balanced in the mouth with dark red fruits and cherry bark coming through. Medium finish. Wanted to like this more. Everything was where it should be but the volume was turned down too low. Didn't really pop. Good pairing with Provencal short-ribs with olives and orange zest.
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4/24/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 93 Points
have had a previous experience where this wine was just mediocre. bottle variation? from the same case as other good bottles....
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4/24/2015 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
Had various experiences with this wine. Old note: Tart cherry, strawberry, raspberry. No dark fruit. Killer nose. High amount of oak, but not much vanilla on nose. Still tannic, but in my wheelhouse. Light finish, chocolate. Palate coating. Evolves when open, becomes more complex. muscular yet seamless. Light coffee and leather? Love it.
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3/22/2015 - revanness wrote: 95 Points
Really needed 3 hour decant to open. Thanks to all for the tip.
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3/14/2015 - rnyrny79 Likes this wine: 96 Points
I agree what the last to reviews. Upon opening the wine is alcoholic and harsh. After 3.5 h of decanting and serving at slightly chilled temperature, the wine is open for business offering a complex nose of red creamy berries, floral notes, lavender, sweet blackberries, herbes, sneet spices, tobacco, legater and barnyard. The beautiful thing is, that it tastes even better giving the same notes on the palate in perfect balance.
Great wine, that shows why it is important to be patient with the wines from Clos Des Papes. Take for instance the 07 now, which is far from open now, but will be a tremendous pleasure from 2020 and forward.
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2/21/2015 - skinnydave Likes this wine: 99 Points
Fantastic cdp. Trying to get through my 2001/2002/2003 cdp we opened this this afternoon. What a treat. Southern Rhone Syrah. Strawberry, pepper, tobacco. Unbelievable. I am really hoping I have another bottle in storage.
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1/30/2015 - Crunge wrote: flawed
Fairly expensive, saved for a special occasion, and it was spoiled. Aromas and flavors of musty socks. This was from a magnum just like Rhone Ranger's note below. That is a lot of CdP to pour down the drain.
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1/19/2015 - PolarBear22 wrote: 95 Points
Fantastic!! Decanted for about 3 hours. First taste on opening showed good fruit and tannins, but it was harsh. After a nice long decant, the wine had smoothed out wonderfully. Tobacco notes mellowed, and more cherry flavors came through. We loved this with braised lamb shanks. And loved the final glass after dinner. Can't wait for the other bottles.
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1/10/2015 - Jeffrey Silver Likes this wine: 95 Points
Fantastic wine that is still very young. Need at least 3+hrs of decanting.
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12/31/2014 - g_gaisford wrote: 90 Points
Little over-aged but quite lovely
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12/27/2014 - Rhone Ranger wrote: flawed
Flawed. Purchased on release. From magnum. Bummer. That's a lot of wine to pour down the drain.
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12/10/2014 - Pknut wrote: flawed
Corked, but Spencer won't accept that.
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12/5/2014 - JulianSkeels Likes this wine: 94 Points
Initially much sweeter than expected cherry, and really improves with 1-2hrs in a decanter. Becomes darker, fuller and move savoury. Two bottles recently downed - take notes next time (!) and double-decant 90mins and cool down. There is more to come from this.
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11/27/2014 - JBVino wrote:
disappointing. thin with alcohol in the forefront. unfortunately the wine had no size, presence, mouthfeel or length to hide or balance the alcohol.
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11/17/2014 - Herschel Krustofski wrote: 91 Points
[J&B Rhone tasting] Quite concentrated; feels much younger than an 11-year old. I suspect a 2 hour decant + beef stew would be a good match.
Largely agree with Rossi - there's a green/bitter note that spoils my impression of an otherwise impressive effort. Comes across as unbalanced. I am not so sure that time is going to heal this one.
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11/17/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 91 Points
Brownish-red in colour, quite evolved. Complex and expressive nose with kirsch liqueur, spices, tobacco. Powerful on the palate, a little dry with lots of concentration. Not the most balanced or elegant. Slightly bitter but nonetheless impressive finish. 90-92
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11/14/2014 - Philippe_C wrote: 96 Points
Very nice nose of ripe red cherries, roasted meat and spices ... wow super powerful taste of ripe red cherries, strawberries, roasted meat, oriental spices, leather... great great wine!
Note: this wine showed a hint of spritz at opening and showed a bit thin and acidic... it also improved dramatically after 3 hours of slow ox!!
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11/1/2014 - d'Artagnan wrote: 94 Points
Un bouquet d'herbes de Provence (basilique, laurier), avec du kirsch, de l'anis. La bouche a la puissance de l'appellation et il a besoin d'une petite demi-heure pour montrer autre chose : le soleil de Provence en bouteille! La richesse des arômes et le taux d'alcool élevé mais bien intégré (15%!), la gourmandise et la finale épicée, harmonieuse, donnent envie de d'emmitoufler dans une couverte jusqu'au printemps....fougueux et authentique, un brin cochon comme tout Ch9 traditionnel qui se respecte. Plein et si savoureux. Une des grandes réussites du millésime. 94 pts
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10/20/2014 - Enfantterrible wrote: 89 Points
Kinda monolithic for me, but maybe because I've been drinking too much CNdP lately. I wasn't getting much nuance from these
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10/7/2014 - Simply Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Evolving very nicely, integrated fruit with depth and complexity through to a lingering finish. Medium weight, clean but yet with some rustic garrique Qualities. No signs of heat, port quality or over ripeness.
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10/4/2014 - beatles Likes this wine: 94 Points
Needs air. Better on the second day where the sweetness of the grenache is more pronounced and overshadows the alcohol along with the gamey, sauvage style that is also here. Quite a local wine, the terroir speaks louder than the vintage, which is rare for 2003. I shall restrain from opening another one for at least a year.
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9/11/2014 - Shanta wrote:
Porty, raisined, malty, roasted nose with some mint, liquorice and spiritous lift. Soft, broad, low acid, raisin and spice fruit cake palate. Abundant character, alcohol and penetrating, attractive flavours, but maybe a victim of the vintage if you compare it with (say) the gamey, sumptuous, precise 2001.
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8/2/2014 - jamie24 Likes this wine: 93 Points
4 hour decant which it needed. Really enjoyed it... I'm not the biggest CNdP fan but this was the best example I've tasted to date.
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7/13/2014 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 95 Points
05 Seven Stones, 03 Clos des Papes (The front patio): This was pop and pour and really needs air or decanting to open. It eventually did but took some time. dark ruby in color. The nose is clean with cherries, dark cherries, spice and floral notes. Full bodied. On the palate, this is lush. No heat. Plenty of depth with layers of fruit and earth. Long finish. Drinking very well now, but I would slow-ox it for a few hours at least.
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6/19/2014 - WMWG Likes this wine:
CT Tasting Group (Steve's House): Tasted Blind - Funky nose of pickled fruit and tart cherry. Light bodied, palate shows interesting notes of dried orchard fruits, kirsch, cinnamon, brown sugar and apples.
Very Good - Drinking fine now
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5/30/2014 - wdb001 wrote: 96 Points
Terrific bottle that got better over the course of dinner. Full-bodied, rich and layered it gave off notes of licorice, cedar, black pepper and other nuanced flavors that I could not identify. Seems to be fully mature but showing no signs of decline.
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5/22/2014 - bonedoc wrote:
Hmmm, love clos des papes, and did like this wine. But, after double decant showed a little too much sweetness up front. Didn't pair well w coq au vin or salmon. About 2 hours and after dinner showed better, but still had a stewed fruit, pruney quality. I'm splitting hairs here bc I have high expectations from this producer, this is still really good wine. The 2001 is much better balanced. 92-94
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5/17/2014 - Jeffrey Silver wrote: 96 Points
- Garnet color with medium forming legs and aromas of prune. It's balanced and has flavours of butterscotch and cherry with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a long finish - Very fresh and balanced. This wine at 11yrs will benefit from 2.5hrs decanting. Coming from 03 and the super hot heat in France. There is a tad bit of heat. This wine has an amazing plum sense on the nose and then fads into dark red fruit of cassis. The finish is long and polished. I think this wine will have at least 8-10 years in front before reaching dull maturity.
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5/14/2014 - sunnylea57 Likes this wine: 93 Points
A powerhouse from the hot 2003 vintage. Massive pungent nose with ripe cherry, floral perfume, blood, liquorice, spice and some alcohol heat from the vintage. Fortunately, the heat only shows on the nose. Massive body and palate, too: ripe, sappy cherry, tar, plenty of spice, vanilla, lavender and sage, lots of acidity, slightly dusty tannins. I make it sound like it was much too much, but it actually worked beautifully. Like a guy in a bespoke suit from the big 'n' tall store.
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5/4/2014 - flashvictor wrote:
Off bottle with significant metallic aftertaste.
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4/27/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
Perfectly ripe cherries, lavender, pepper and garrigue, with a faint hint of prune in the nose. Silky, soft and plus, with a great sense of purity, there is nothing over the top, or out of place in this wine. The sweet, ripe, cherries and kirsch carry all the way through. One could quibble and with the minor sense of heat in the finish, but that does not detract from the experience. At 11 years of age, this could be in the sweet spot.
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4/21/2014 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Si quelques variations de bouteilles ont été notées au fil du temps, celle-ci était au sommet.
Un nez complexe et suave, d'herbes de Provence et de kirsch.
La bouche est d'une belle puissance maitrisée, ample et épicée, avec une longue finale savoureuse et complexe. Un vin authentique, qui laisse une impression de plénitude. Magnifique Châteauneuf du Pape abouti, à son sommet. 95 pts
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4/16/2014 - beatles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Something is up with this wine. I bought two cases, and every bottle has been good, very good indeed. This is maybe the weakest - or at least weirdest showing - of this wine which starts of with hints of something vegetal and then - with air - turns darker and darker, more masculine, grave, almost Hermitage-like; on Day 2, I could have guessed Delas Bessards, this is how dark and concentrated this seems. No prunes or excessive heat from the vintage, but certainly a very different wine, and it makes Pegau seem light. Will have to pop one more soon ...
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3/29/2014 - rlysecky Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent. Big aromas of cherries, raspberries, spice, and oak dominate with perhaps some earthiness in the background (but perhaps I am just imagining it). Very fruit forward on the palette, tannins are well integrated, and there's enough acidity to balance the fruit. Paried very well with Turkish Borek.
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3/24/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 90 Points
Surprisingly evolved in colour, orange red. Nose not too exciting, a little port-like with an impression of cooked fruit, sweet spices. Sharp acidity, a bit flat and not very complex with drying tannins but good length. Based on this bottle I would recommend to drink rather soon. Not sure if (just) a mediocre bottle or the influence of a very hot year. Probably a bit of both. Also the fact that I tasted this in one flight with an almost perfect wine didn't help. 88-91
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3/21/2014 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is holding together but this ultra hot year has definitely made this a hard wine to hold together, but it is. Classic red fruit dominant, dried herbs, hints of spice.
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3/8/2014 - Terry Likes this wine:
Drank my last bottle of this last night, along with a 2003 Pegau and a 2004 Vieux Donjon. All three were very nice wines, but the Clos des Papes and Donjon, for me, edged out the Pegau. All three were big wines, with lots of fruit, and tannins that now have fully integrated into the mix. No edges at all to any of the three. I should have waited on all of my '03's. Lesson learned, perhaps.
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2/14/2014 - wizlb wrote: 98 Points
Well the 2003 Cdp surely delivers, from it true Cdp nose all the way to is powerful finish, which last just about 35 seconds… drinking the 03 Cdp I experienced spices, peppers and a silky smooth finish but the sad part is I am down to my last couple of bottles
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2/8/2014 - Netmester Likes this wine: 96 Points
.....the last of the bottle opened yesterday. Must say that it tasted even better....
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2/8/2014 - Nicholas81 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted half hour. At first, the wine had a musky smell. After some time in the glass, fantastic nose of cherries and rustic aromas began to emerge. Very well integrated and very pleasant. The palate was equally stunning. Lots of sweet red fruit, somewhat like plums and roasted fruit. Finish was very long. Great wine, very serious and very distinct.
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2/7/2014 - Netmester Likes this wine: 95 Points
This was my first bottle of this warm vintage and to be honest I was a bit worried about it after reading about how 03 could vary. Could it live up to the high ratings?. The cork was 3/4 wet and the wine a bit unclear in the glass - not the best signs. At first it seemed all wrong - strang nose and taste. But about a half to one hour in the glass it opened up and all the "classic" Clos des Papes characteristics completly unfolded. What a great wine with a long long finish.
Saved half the bottle and will taste tomorrow again....can hardly wait
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1/25/2014 - Strikermax wrote: 96 Points
Robijnrood, licht troebel. Elegante geur met rode en blauwe bes, laurier. In de mond goede concentatie, rond en romig. Complete en elegante wijn, helemaal op dronk, zijdezachte tannines.
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1/20/2014 - jonnyoro wrote: 98 Points
One of my last remaining bottles (2left now)- capsule removed and this one is a leaker- first one that's a leaker... Fill was well into neck and the wine seems not to have suffered any ill effects; noticeable bricking; smells of rose, acacia, lavendar, crushed raspberries... More of this when tasted with licorice, pepper and iron; finish lasts FOREVER... Gorgeous...
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1/5/2014 - d'Artagnan wrote: 90 Points
Cette bouteille m’a paru plus évoluée que d’autres prises récemment.
Un nez de kirsch, du fruit un peu compoté, de la vieille confiture avec des nuances de garrigue. La bouche montre une belle fraicheur, étonnante pour le millésime, avec une gourmandise qui elle n’étonne pas du tout! Elle est un peu plus terne qu'à l'habitude, quoi que la finale après aération se révèle assez complexe et d'une finesse charmante. Pas le plus profond exemple de ce vin, mais il es tout de même fort agréable. 90-91 pts
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1/2/2014 - galenico Likes this wine: 92 Points
This was my first Chateauneuf, obviously a great bottle, big character and easy to drink, but surely not my kind of wine!
Candied fruits, raisin and a touch of sweetness.
It is surely a powerful son of the hot summer 2003, but after a few hours it got some kind of over-mature aromas....
For my taste it got blown away by an extraordinary Castello di Ama L' Apparita 93, so elegant and sharp.
This Clos des Papes after a few glasses tasted like a bit annoying and over-riped
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12/31/2013 - Caruso Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great Chateauneuf, but given the "TWA" scores, this bottle was as disappointing as on 31.03.2013 and with similar tasting notes. I have two bottles left. I will try it in some years again.
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12/15/2013 - thi nguyen Likes this wine: 92 Points
Sexy wine
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11/27/2013 - DonDon Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very full on - in a good way. Really a powerhouse CNP, red fruits, tar, great length. Very much a food wine I think. Was great.
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11/22/2013 - d'Artagnan wrote: 94 Points
Nez anisé, avec de la confiture de fraises, kirsh, épices, très classique quoi! Cette bouteille est parmi les plus belles que j'ai prises de ce vin, la bouche à la fois vigoureuse et dotée de tanins fins qui lui donnent une certaine finesse, étonnante dans le contexte du millésime. Un vin plein et harmonieux, authentique. 94 pts
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11/21/2013 - Miceri Does not like this wine: 85 Points
Medium red; slightly sharp nose, pepper, earthy; spiced but ending up being quite prickly, lean, tannic; not exciting, perhaps an off-bottle?
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11/9/2013 - Tim Heaton wrote:
Oh, Eric, you lucky dog, you (14 bottles)! Tasted single-blind at a CT offline, this was my (clear) favorite in the line up of 2003s from all over the world. More (GC) Burgundy-like than CdP-like, with great freshness and riddled with hidden nuances and joyous, silken textures. In a great place now and for the next decade +. Just lovely, highly recommended
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11/8/2013 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Truffle & Chateauneuf du Pape hunting in Provence; 11/7/2013-11/10/2013 (Crillon Le Brave): Tasted at the Chateau. The most variant in scores of the CdP wines we have come across. Today it showed a more restrained face yet on the finish it was unmistakably a child of the 2003 vintage with light stewed, burnt fruit. Heavier, riper and lacked the finiesse of the 2006. Light leather, spice, cloves and Nicol at times got christmass wine aromatics. Yet somehow even though its not our style of CdP it was a good wine and we would still rate it 92 albeit we are not sure how this evolves from here. A touch dry on the finish too but even in a challenging year the Avril guys did good. 92?
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11/3/2013 - Jeff W wrote:
Time to try another bottle, I thought.
It has the elegance you would hope fro from a Clos des Papes. The fruit is high toned and pure, the tannins undeveloped. So far, so good, but the alcohol is a little too overt for me, though is seems to become less so over time, fading to a more pleasant kirsch note. It's a bruiser, but a polished one. It's true to its time and place. I have had a few bottles of this at different times, and the experience has been different each time. I don't think now is a great time to open it. I do think the best is yet to come, and it may become magnificent, but not any time soon.
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10/13/2013 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Second Sunday Group: 1995 Pauillac vs. Pessac (Rich's & Dana's): L057 CLOS. Decanted very briefly off its sediment and rebottled before being served with dinner about three hours later. Aromas of cherry, spices, rose petals, licorice and lavender. Red fruit, spice and garrigue flavors on the palate. Bright acidity. Ends with a sour cherry quality.
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8/26/2013 - d'Artagnan wrote:
Après un vin plus puissant (Gourt de Mautens) il a moins bien paru qu'à l'habitude. Bel équilibre mais pas aussi complexe que d'autres bouteilles. 91 pts
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8/18/2013 - ecnemergut wrote: 97 Points
Sublime. No formal notes.
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8/8/2013 - Philippe_C wrote: 95 Points
Nose of very ripe peperonis, red cherries, spices... taste of ripe red pepers, hint of salinity, ripe red cherries, very nice acidity, very elegant wine!!
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7/29/2013 - Wine4Life Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice ruby colour, open nose of dark cherry wood & moss, very balanced more cherry and pepper to the taste, drinking well but still lots of cellar life left.
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7/14/2013 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
Controversial wine. This is a really good bottle. Intense white pepper, grilled plums, quinine, bloody and meaty, loaded with garrigue. Not a shy wine to be sure.
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7/6/2013 - majamke wrote: 85 Points
A few years ago, this was one of my top 3 wines but the previous 2 bottles have been very disappointing. No signs of poor storage (excellent fill level and the cork was in good condition) so I'm hesitant to put this down to a faulty bottle. Ruby with slight browning. All the fruit has fallen away leaving some rustic savoury notes of roasted herbs. Faint iodine notes give a bitter edge to the finish.
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7/4/2013 - senex Likes this wine: 95 Points
Having read everyones notes I was a bit concerned.
I do have an advantage of living in the UK so am less likely to have wine spoilt by a long sea crossing.
Anyway, opened and breathed but not decanted about 3 hours before supper.
What a lovely wine! A very elegant CDP with cherries to the forefront, a superb nose and the follow through just improved with time in the glass.
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6/22/2013 - AllRed wrote:
4th Saturday group "uptown" tasting (Our house): L057 CLOS. I saw some notes on this lot and thought perhaps I would be immune from the problems with this wine. Boy, was I wrong. Light color with notes of plum and candied red fruit with raisiny, pruny overtones. Medium-bodied with a ripe, candied quality on the palate. Angular & disjointed. Thelostverse nailed this as Chateauneuf, and I believe was the only one to do so. I have seen other notes of the same lot from the same retailer with no issues, so I am more inclined to chalk this up to the variation problems than to heat damage...glad I only purchased two bottles of this sh!t.
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6/22/2013 - thelostverse wrote: flawed
4th Saturday group. Tasted blind. Tis was very light in color and showing bricking. This had a stewed character with a sherry like quality. I'm guessing this was heat damaged, so no score given. Guessed CDP.
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6/1/2013 - amred wrote: 86 Points
We all know the 2003 Rhones were a challenge with the heat. Of late, we have had the Beaucastel (fabulous), Donjon (really nice) and Clos des Papes (this wine). We were very disappointed, but not incredibly surprised. This was as we had feared....over-extracted, raisin-like, and definitely over the hill. We were cautious with 2003s, but bought some...this was what we feared.
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5/26/2013 - JMLE20 Likes this wine: 90 Points
a besoin de beaucoup d air, final un peut chaude
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5/24/2013 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Après la dégustation Sauvignon
Nez d'anis, de fruit et d'épices typique du domaine, avec une bouche ronde, chaleureuse, ample et de belle profondeur. Il avait un coté porto sec, un peu raisin sec, qu'il n'a pas toujours eu en ce millésime. Un domaine que j'adore et une belle bouteille, merci Pierre!
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5/24/2013 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
Ripe scents of black cherry liqueur, raisins, pepper, black raspberry, spice and kirsch lead to a full bodied, packed youthful Chateauneuf du Pape. This is a very ripe, concentrated, powerful style of Clos des Papes that some tasters like more than others.
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5/19/2013 - Rechrom wrote: 94 Points
Finally starting to come into balance. Decanted two hours, consumed over next three. Nice nose, balanced and interesting palate that is a bit clunky to be outstanding. Great fruit notes and excellent depth.
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5/2/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
Still working through these before they mature too much more. Despite some heat, the wine's red fruits are smooth and elegant and there is depth and lenght to them. Still a relative disappointment as the heat of 2003 has caught up with wine, but enjoy now as it is not likely to improve.
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4/29/2013 - TheMounty wrote: 91 Points
No matter how much I try, not worth the price... Ever.
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4/12/2013 - acheng wrote: 92 Points
Quite a bit of expectation on this one. Somewhat reticent nose to begin with and needed a bit more airing before showing its stuff. Kirsh, hawthorn, cherry. Animal fur and mineral grew stronger on second pour. Lower acidity vis a vis the other 2003 served tonight and resolved tannin. I was really expecting hedonistic ripe fruit. This is a far more structural effort.
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4/3/2013 - Nanda wrote: 93 Points
Flock CdP Tasting - 2003 & Older (Jordan's): Ruby color. Nose is open for business with cherry fruit, herbs, olive and pepper. Palate also rocking. Yum - great herby and funky fruit. Good intensity. Seamless across the palate into a long finish. Classic stuff. My 3/9, Group 3/9.
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4/2/2013 - Jack wrote: 97 Points
Spritz, spritz and more spritz. Undrinkable when opened but once the spritz blew off - wow!
L054Jung
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4/1/2013 - mxpbuy wrote: flawed
I had read reports of one shipment of this wine being heat damaged in NYC harbor. Looks like I found a bottle from that shipment. Not overly cooked but definitely cooked a bit. Premature oxidation with metallic notes and some raisin elements. Some at the table still liked it, but I'd give it an 87.
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3/31/2013 - Caruso Likes this wine: 95 Points
First impression is perplexing. A reduced bouquet of game, sulfur. But then it's quickly developing in the typical "Clos des Papes"-bouquet of kirsch, other red fruits, woody notes and (not typically) game. On the palate the wine is round, easily hiding its lusty alcohol levels. But the first bottles 4-5 years ago showed much more intensity (I rated the wine as high as 99 points). Is it already over the hill or just in a mute state?
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3/24/2013 - Marc wrote: 94 Points
Ripe red fruits, fresh raspberries and a hint strawberry jam, a hint of roast peanuts and leather. Beautiful lifted anise top notes. The nose becomes more and more involving with air. Rich and alcoholic in the mouth - the roasted nature of the vintage comes through. Lovely balance to the lingering finish. Outstanding wine that is show some development and should remain at a high level of drinking for another 5 years in cool cellars. This is a great success for the vintage but will not appeal to those allergic to heat and jammy notes in their wine. For me, the layered complexity and almost delicate and nuanced finish make up for that. A winner with rack of lamb with tapenade. A lot of fun and quite outstanding, in its way.
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3/21/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 93 Points
I continue to drink these up because they are evolving so fast. This wine has already turned soft and elegant with a distinctive and dominate Grenache flavor profile. The wine even looks like a lighter color in the glass than it did just a couple years ago. The finish is still long but the mid palate lacks the punch it once had.
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3/21/2013 - Winevestor Likes this wine: 93 Points
Fascinating reading the divergent TNs. I see both points of view. Great nose of plum, heather and earth. In the mouth a big fruit, uncharacteristic of CdP, but probably due to the heat of the vintage. Also seems not bound together, but separate flavors and sensations. Over the course of a couple of days this evened up and the wine coalesced. Not much acidity (this won't age long), but drinking beautfiully now. Medium mouthfeel and long finish.
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3/10/2013 - mimik Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is much better than last time around. More dark fruit which seems more integrated, strawberries and raspberries with good notes of tobacco and hints of cedar. The heat of the vintage which I tasted 2 years ago seems more dissipated but there is a still a lack of acidity which makes this wine questionable for the long term. A little flat but very very nice indeed.
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3/2/2013 - Butty wrote: 85 Points
Not sure about this wine. Looks fully mature in the glass - a slightly dusty nose with some heat - however there are some rich black fruit aromas behind but they are a bit stewed. On the palate acids give the wine a freshness but I am worried they are almost volatile - the whole ting feels a bot unstable. Tannins are dominant over the fruit and it finishes quickly - overall feel is very dry. Lets hope this bottle is flawed. 2004 is drinking way better at this stage. Puzzling!
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2/24/2013 - wdb001 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful wine. Seems to be fully mature. Full bodied with notes of pepper, raspberry, black cherry and a touch of barn yard funk.
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2/21/2013 - mxpbuy Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine is evolving so fast and I don't think it will be a great wine in another 3 years. The fruit seems to be fading, but that only brings it down from a full throttle saturated level to a more elegant, yet still overripe level. After several hours in the decanter the red fruit notes were turning to slightly sour cherry and raspberry notes and the acidity was dominating. I think I'll finish the remainder of bottles I have of this wine within the year just to be safe.
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2/15/2013 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Châteaneuf du Pape; Clos des Papes tasting plus some extra's (@ AS): A lot of cherry/chocolate bonbon in the bouquet as well as on the palate. Very ripe fruits, a lot of sweetness, but also good acidity to back it up. Soft tannin with a good bite. Someone called this a Dolly Parton wine ;-); a lot of everything.
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2/11/2013 - cr84 wrote: 93 Points
A cattle nose similar to Pegau’s style but with more tannins and structure. The mouth is outgoing, displaying the same portfolio with more fruit yet less intensity.
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2/10/2013 - robertgf wrote: 93 Points
CDP tasting at Irene’s 2/2013
Lovely nose of red fruit (strawberry +?) Beautiful full rich red fruit palate. Soft well rounded tannins. BIG full mouth feel. My second best won. Yummy wine.
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2/10/2013 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 92 Points
Minneapolis Wine Club does Chateauneuf-Du-Pape: Under performed. Raspberries, minerals, spice, floral and leather. Nice balanced wine but lacks the power of some of the other wines sampled tonight. Decanted 4 hours total and by the end of the night it was a bit diluted. I would say hold at this point and hope it improves.
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2/9/2013 - rocknroller wrote: 92 Points
Mpls Wine Club: Chateauneuf du Pape (Irene's House): Dark red color. Quite a bit lighter than most of the grouping. 3 hr decant. Drank 1 glass over1.5hrs. This seemed reticent from the start and never really gained any steam. Nose showed garrigue, herbs, red fruits, berries. The palate seems balanced, ripe red fruits, red currants, berry, bright herbs, spice, medium bodied and a bit thin mid and late palate. Definitely underwhelming for such a highly regarded Clos des Papes.
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2/9/2013 - LWI wrote: flawed
Maderized
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1/14/2013 - affordableCollector wrote: 89 Points
dark red, purple hues, in the color. earth, dark fruit, spice, on the nose. cherry, blackberry, cloves, cocoa, on the palate. high acid, medium tannins, on this dry acidic finish.
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1/14/2013 - europat55 wrote: 94 Points
2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tasting with GMS ringers from other countries (Rich & Peggy's House, Los Altos, CA): Color is a little bit more translucent than the other wines in today's lineup. Wow! What a nose!! Kirsch, spices, mushrooms, forest floor, some (good) brett. Palate is equally impressive, rich, without being too concentrated or overpowering. Well integrated tannins. Very long finish. Drinking surprisingly well right now and seems to have many more years ahead. Definitely my style of wine! Tasted blind and correctly guessed as the Clos du Pape in the line-up. Surprisingly not the group's favorite (in my personal opinion); I suspect that some may have been offended by the little bit of brett...
My #1, Group's #4 (73 pts).
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1/7/2013 - azzah Likes this wine: 94 Points
Brick red colour.
Aromas of rose, red cherry, raspberry, and a hint of tobacco. Very red fruited.
The palate almost borders on thick and syrupy but maintains some freshness. It's texture belies its high alcohol (15%), but it hides it pretty well on the palate - I was expecting some alcohol heat but it didn't eventuate.
Flavours of raspberry, plum, red cherry, prune, and hints of licorice and tobacco. Not a savoury wine - its lush with a melange of sweet red fruits - so perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but I thought it was pretty good.
Drinking well now - I'm not sure why'd you'd want to keep it any longer.
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1/1/2013 - sevo Does not like this wine: 84 Points
Upon initially opening this wine, it was quite fragrant especially full of red fruits. Full bodied wine with nice sumptuous feel in the mouth. Unfortunately, this fell apart after two hours. Currently, wine is quite simple without any attributes to its heritage. Quite disappointed as wine has been stored in temperature controlled situation since release. Hopefully just bottle variation as I have a case in storage.
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12/30/2012 - Eric wrote:
L 056 SECK. Hmm I have had this wine about 20 times. This bottle, solid cork, great storage, was a hot mess. Zinfandel like, porty nose, spicy palate. There were elements to like here and elements to hate. I am worried about where this wine is headed, as I have a lot more. Not an encouraging bottle.
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11/23/2012 - DuVinMD wrote: 94 Points
Rouge pâle avec les reflets grenats qui montrent des signes de maturité, le nez est complexe, intense avec des arômes de cerise, de kirsch et d'épice où on note les épices comme le poivre blanc et la cannelle. En bouche, le vin est frais, avec des tanins souple et le corps est ample, équilibré, plein et suave - tout en douceur, belle intégration des saveurs et une belle maturité qui s'accroche encore de façon sublime à la cerise. Finale longue, aucunement vaporeuse, alcool bien intégré, petite sucrosité qui rappelle les petits bonbons. Coulant. Absolument fantastique. Prêt à boire et le sera encore pour un bon 5-7 ans à mon avis. Manquait seulement un peu de complexité pour atteindre le 95 ... peut-être dans 3-5 ans ?!? À revoir.
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10/25/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 95 Points
Sampled 10/24/12. Another beautiful bottle that got better over a 3 hour period. Wonderful red fruits, Oak, spice, dried herbs with a 45 second finish.
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10/13/2012 - gout wrote: 92 Points
Drinking superbly at the moment. Medium deep colour showing a little maturity
at rim, attractive complex nose, very smooth on the palate with a long finish.
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9/13/2012 - Sleepy Dave wrote: 92 Points
2012 - 3rd with K-M-T-R (Au Jardin @ Botanic Garden): Alcohol :: 14.5%
Opened for 4hrs and decanted in dinner. Dark ruby. I know this is a good vintage for CDP, but wasn't expect it to be showing so well, no heat or over the top sweetness. Seductive sweet currant and dried fig, sweet raspberry, kirsch liqueur, nail polished (but not the bad one you can imagine), very sweet but not over the top, very floral too, in particular roses. Full bodied, sweet entry with enormous power and richness and there is sufficient dry extract, mineral, tannin and firm ripe acid backbone to support which leads to long, dry intense finish. Very good. 92-93+
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9/6/2012 - jonnyoro wrote: 96 Points
Consistent with previous bottles (I've gone through half a case...)
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8/29/2012 - cardsandwine Likes this wine:
From magnum. Opened, but not decanted two hours prior to drinking. This bottle was superb. Pue and spicy fruit on the palate. Focused and balanced mid-palate with a monster finish. While still not Rayas, this bottle came damn close.
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8/19/2012 - mxpbuy wrote: 94 Points
Sampled 8/18/12. The grenache on the nose is dense and unmistakable. A surpsingly smooth wine at this point in time, velvety at mid palate. Red fruits and red currant abound in layers with some white pepper notes. A little cedar sweet Oak in the background too. A very impressive wine that seemed to open fully in just 30 minutes in the glass, but yet the wine still feels like it is far from completely evolved. Will come back to it within a year.
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8/14/2012 - Papies wrote: 90 Points
A Chateauneuf Papies-Odyssey (The Papies, Elizabeth St, London): The controversy continues.. 90 yesterday vs 94 2yrs ago ( admittedly different lots)
Good bottle and cork. Deacanted for 2 hours. useful to decant.
Very 2003, big wine, dense with dark fruits tighlty wrapped and full of powerfull (not harsh though) tannins. Big sweet core runs through this wine ( a 2003 issue we guess) especially on the palate and lacks the balance and elegance usually associated with Clos des Papes wines. 90-91 at best at this showing. We wonder if time will actually improve this wine or will it suffer like some hot Priorat fruit bombs that dry out rather than evolve...
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8/7/2012 - woofy wrote: 93 Points
This wine is still drinking beautifully, so enjoyable,
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7/21/2012 - peterk wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 3 hours - so happy I did. Full bodied, concentrated, powerful, ripe and full of berries. Wonderful CNDP.
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7/8/2012 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Le nez est hallucinant, garrigue, encens, cerises rouges. La bouche moins ouverte que les dernières, dense et serrée, un peu renfrognée je ne sais si le voyagement a eu un effet, car elle fut trimballée dans la journée. 93 + pts
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7/4/2012 - Scharin wrote: 88 Points
Deep rusty red color. Perfumery nose with herbal notes. Palate of raspberries with a touch of licorice. Seemed a bit simple and soft to us. Lacked acidity and minerality that we expected.
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7/3/2012 - Arch57 wrote: 90 Points
It has been 4 1/2 years since I last had a bottle of this so I wanted to see what the time in the cellar has done. From reading my last tasting note, not much has changed. This was decanted 1+ hour and then consumed before and during dinner over 2 hours or so. Still a deep reddish purple. This wine, while well made, seemed too one-dimensional to me. It did have an incredible core of raspberry fruit but I was not getting any other secondary notes. It was a very smooth and soft wine with a pleasant mouthfeel but missing those extra's (spice, earth, etc.) that make a wine special. My wife and son felt the same way that it was very good but not special.
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6/2/2012 - Jack wrote: 93 Points
Man these have a lot of spritz to them. Once it blows they are good and I get the feeling they may even improve with some more age.
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4/11/2012 - Zingrrl wrote: 93 Points
Outstanding.
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4/8/2012 - beatles wrote: 94 Points
Dinner in New Rochelle, Peter & Susanne (New York - the burbs): Seemed richer and less fresh to me than the latest bottles, I have tasted, but still, there is no reason for this wine to be controversial - it's brilliant. Very typical neuf with all the fixers, olives, garrigue, and a deep red fruit. Maybe it displays a slight bit of heat from the vintage, but still the wine is very much in balance. Peter guessed this off hand. Dinner at Peter & Susanne's, NY.
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4/7/2012 - pbaek wrote:
I have to say that when the 2003s in the Southern Rhone are good, they are awesome. Niels brought this wine and I immediately recognized that I had been drinking this in his house a few years ago. The fruit is exuberant here, but it is exuberant in the good way - pure, kirschy Grenache. It is truly striking how elegant and mineral this wine is. In many ways it reminds me of the 2006 Rayas Pignan - light, elegant, earthy, almost Burgundian in style. Monsieur Avril has done a great job in this warm vintage, bravo. Very enjoyable now, but will surely last for another decade plus with ease. With Niels and AD at home.
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4/6/2012 - Opusone99 wrote: 91 Points
Peu de prises de notes...
Très agréable, mais le vin me semble endormi en ce moment... La première expérience révélait un vin très concentré et puissant et cette fois-ci le vin me semble plus compact et beaucoup moins intense. En bouche, les épices ressortent encore une fois, la texture est agréable. Belle bouteille, mais mes attentes étaient plus grandes.
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4/5/2012 - Colima74 wrote: 93 Points
Elegant and fresh tasting, light in the mouth. None of the violets I sometimes get in CdPs. Others got some funk, but I did not. I thought this was quite good, if a bit on the soft side, without much of an edge. Very very good.
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4/4/2012 - Mad Dane wrote: 96 Points
Beautiful nose, wonderful mid palate and long finish.
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4/1/2012 - cardsandwine wrote:
Opened 2 hours prior to drinking. Massive earthy terroir on both the nose and palate. A big wine. Lacks the elegance of Rayas.
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3/25/2012 - humagne wrote: 95 Points
Intense nose, grenache fruit. Incredible attack on the palate, balanced and powerful. Very long. Does not give me the sensation of over-alcoholic, despite the 14.5%.
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3/19/2012 - Saint Stephen wrote: 80 Points
The Emperor has no clothing.
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2/27/2012 - Jeff Leve wrote: 96 Points
Smokey black cherry, garrigue, lavender, all spice, kirsch liqueur, fresh cut herbs and intense black raspberry scents create the compelling perfume. Dense, corpulent, concentrated and packed with layers of sweet, ripe, juicy fruit, this wine grabs your attention without an apology.The wine fills your mouth and coats your palate with layers of fruit and flavor. This seems young and should only get better over the next decade or two... This is not a wine of finesse. But it is a delicious wine of Chateauneuf du Pape.
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2/22/2012 - jonnyoro wrote: 97 Points
Beautiful- hyper concentrated more integrated, ripe, structured, delicious.
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2/20/2012 - mark'scellar wrote: 98 Points
Probably the most anxious I've ever been when opening a bottle of wine... Huge sigh of relief! Absolutely fantastic showing: elegant, classy, showing none of the litany of negative traits listed by disappointed tasters below. Here's hoping my luck holds out on the remaining bottles...
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2/2/2012 - d'Artagnan wrote: 94 Points
Wow, nez de viande grillée, de garrigue, kirsh, un peu d'anis. Belle fraîcheur dans ce millésime solaire.
Large, puissant mais d'un très bel équilibre. Authentique et typé, c'est l'archétype du Châteauneuf traditionnel. Superbe et déjà très ouvert. Il commence un peu tôt son plateau de maturité mais y restera sans doute très longtemps. 94-95 pts
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2/2/2012 - andtheodor wrote: 94 Points
Classic CdP with a lifted herb, lavender, red licorice, tart berry, graphite nose. Delicately resinous, complex palate that just sails. Amazing. Totally outclassed the 01 Janasse VV next to it.
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2/1/2012 - robmatic wrote: 92 Points
Very distinctive style, extremely dry, with a seriously intense flavor profile that borders on painful, but stays just on the pleasure side of that line. You've got to like some funk in your wine or else stick to Cali Cabs.
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1/26/2012 - IWineAlot wrote: 87 Points
UGC 2009 Bordeaux Tasting (Sheraton Chicago Hotel & Towers): Light red, very burgundy like transparency. Again another disappointing showing by a high caliber producer. Very light pinot like flavors on the nose and palate. Very tight and not giving much at all. Not sure if this is in a dumb phase or just an off bottle.
SS 87 pts.
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1/26/2012 - petitblanc wrote: 86 Points
Medium-light color. Very light, pinot-like nose, with a pleasant floral quality. Huge structure begs for at least another 10 years cellaring, but this bottle gives no indication of sufficient stuffing to last that long. Considerable heat also a concern. Very odd showing.
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1/7/2012 - andtheodor wrote: 93 Points
Light in color but stuffed with red licorice, raspberry, toasted herb, and forestal tones. More savory than sweetly-fruited but intense and fresh. Great wine.
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12/30/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 89 Points
When this wine was first delivered to the states, it stirred an intense controversy over the Internet. Awarded a high score by Robert Parker, some tasters called the wine a mess. I've enjoyed stunning bottles of this wine at times. On other occasions, the wine seemed like it suffered heat damage at some point. One specific friend has opened it numerous times and everyone of his bottles have been flawed. All my bottles have been sublime. At dinner last night, a guest brought a bottle and clearly, the wine endured damage along the way. The wine was light in color, flavor and density. There was an enjoyable level of kirsch, garrigue and herbs, but that is not what the wine delivers at its best. It was not a bad tasting experience, but this bottle was at best average.
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12/27/2011 - mimik wrote: 92 Points
2 hour decant. Pure raspberry and grenadine nose with some stewed fruit notes and tobacco. Pure raspberry on the palate wit more tobacco but there was a distinct stewed fruit, alcoholic almost porty like taste that I didn't really like. That being said, it is still a solid wine and still developing. The vintage is showing its heat in this wine and I have to admit, it is detracting me from enjoying this as much as I enjoyed the 2003 Pegau I had only weeks prior. Long raspberry finish.
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12/25/2011 - majamke wrote: 92 Points
Not as good as previous bottles I've had. Evidence of possible heat exposure with slight staining on the label. Cork seemed fine, not protruding or completely soaked through. Slight bricking at the rim, unlike the last bottle I had which was more pale. Explosive nose of crushed raspberry and blueberry on opening. More subdued after 4+ hours in the decanter. Not at elegant as I remember. More traditional CDP with a strong core of garrigue underlined by spicy tannin and mulberry, particularly on the long finish.
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12/24/2011 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
TN: Heidsieck, Fontalloro, Clos des Papes, Monte Bello, Hall (Pronza's): I liked this bottle, but I could see why some might not. Purple in color. The nose is big and clean with raspberries and some black raspberries, smoke, and perhaps a floral note. Very clean though. On the palate, this fruit is very ripe and bordering on stewed. Not to the point where it was too much for me, but a bit toned down may have been better. Like most 03's IMO, this is advancing fast and while there is plenty of life and time left, I will keep that in the back of my mind. For this night, it was outstanding for my tastes.
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12/22/2011 - Mr T wrote:
I'm not sure that this wine rises to the level of a "mess), but on opening and drinking the first night, ugh! Really all I got were alcoholic fumes on the nose and alcohol on the palate with muted fruit and a fair bit of tannin. Ironically, I opened this b/c of the Bob's recent comments on the BB about the 03's were open and ready for business and on a very rapid developmental course. Somewhere by the end of night 2 things were finally reasonably balanced and perhaps a long Audouze treatment all day would have done the same, but for me this remains a controversial wine and glad I "only" paid $62. In general this is not what I am looking for in CNP
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12/18/2011 - Tom Ricks wrote: 99 Points
Incredible wine.
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12/14/2011 - Jack wrote: 88 Points
Worst showing by far. Flawed?
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12/1/2011 - pjaines wrote:
This wasn't really doing it for me - red fruit, dry finish with a touch of bunt herbs. Tannins and tarte palate. Meh!
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11/25/2011 - jwwinec wrote:
Richness and concentration showing, but the fruit is hiding behind a wall of dark tannic structure.
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11/19/2011 - grapist wrote:
Very good not great. From mag. Decanted over 5 hours. Opened and softened nicely, but the nose was better than the taste.
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11/8/2011 - EMichels wrote: 86 Points
Candied nose; Raspberry; Rich
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11/3/2011 - sidenote wrote: 91 Points
Well integrated, classic Chateauneuf, but didn't blow my socks off. Fruit and earth were there, but seemed muted to me.
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11/1/2011 - andrewdodd86 Likes this wine: 97 Points
I've had bottles both good and bad (from the same case/source).
Tonight it sang. Sparked my interest in CDP.
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10/13/2011 - jonnyoro wrote: 95 Points
A baby- wow is this wine fragrant- it explodes from the glass. The fruit is quite remarkable and very ripe- but not overripe; it's a thick wine with alot of alcohol but not too hot; finally, it is very tannic... The tannins are much bigger than I remember. I think this will integratebbetter overtime as the fruit is so wonderful- but the tannins do bite... I like the structure hence the rating but this could go either way...
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10/2/2011 - Orlando Hernandez wrote: 99 Points
This bottle was open along with Siro Pacenti 2003 and Prieure-Lichine 2003 trying to challange Sior Pacenti in a old world context. At the opening Clos des Papes was less aromatic that Prieure-Lichine but was the only one with some fruit at the opening tasting. Two hours later CDP show an aromatic sweet smells reminding me honey and sugar cane. It has an acceptable front palate with an amazing middle palate sweet flavors. This wine becomes great with its long finish of more than a minute long. It really numbs your aftertaste with menthol like sensations. It is a terrific wine and my opinion winner of the night besides the amazing quality found in Siro Pacenti.
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8/9/2011 - Squirreljam wrote:
Impression only but excellent, richly concentrated, with structure to balance it up, not jammy or hot - while of course pretty concentrated. There was a lot of back and forth on this several years ago but to me, now, there is nothing controversial about this. I would say some air is helpful, the wine improved through dinner and I'd only opened it about 45 mins before.
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8/6/2011 - d'Artagnan wrote: 94 Points
Nez de fruit noir, de viande grillée et de réglisse, poivre.
Dense, ample et concentré, c'est complexe et si savoureux, dans le style traditionnel. Il y a un mélange de fruit noir et rouge complexe. La finale est magnifique, longue et épicée. Wow! 94 pts
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7/16/2011 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 85 Points
Deep garnet. Nose was slightly stewed in impression, reminds one of Amarone, overripe. Taste was similar. I wonder if this was heat damaged versus a style I don't care for in this super hot vintage. Gotten from Premier Cru and kept in active temp control since. 85?
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7/12/2011 - jclary wrote: 95 Points
Always one of my favorite Cdp's, this bottle was no exception. Fragrant, perfumed nose with lots of raspberry and strawberry liqueur. Tannins are nicely integrated, still in the background, but not obtrusive in any way. Wonderful mouth feel, and very long finish. This is a terrific wine that is fun to drink, and should have years to go (but why wait?).
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6/19/2011 - d'Artagnan wrote:
Nez de réglisse noire, de pastis! Fruit noir et puissance, très bon mais pas grand, du moins pour cette bouteille
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6/1/2011 - woofy wrote: 93 Points
This wine is drinking beautifully.
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5/14/2011 - Pinotphile123 wrote: 93 Points
Coffee, tobacco, firm tannins. Drinking beautifully.
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4/29/2011 - subtlet Likes this wine: 88 Points
Clos des Papes Tasting (Great Wine Buys, Portland OR): Blackberries and stems on the nose mix with faint smoke and pie crust scents. It reminds me of a lot of characteristics I associate with Cabernet Sauvignon. Cherries and dark grapes, with stems, appear on the palate. The pie crust from the nose shows through with the fruit on the mid palate. The tannins are full, and they quickly rise above the fruit as the finish sets in. The finish dries everything out fully, and a bit of heat is apparent.
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4/17/2011 - majamke wrote: 95 Points
Light, translucent ruby. Raspberry liqueur, smoked tea, liquorice and kirsch on the nose. The purity of the fruit is really something to behold. Layered palate of blackberry, raspberry, tea with a spicy edge coming through on the long, defined finish. It's a beautifully balanced, concentrated wine that manages to remain elegant at the same time. Doesn't taste like a heatwave vintage wine by any means.
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3/27/2011 - cadamson wrote: 92 Points
Very tasty, blind would not have guessed it was a 2003 as it was not hot, nor jammy. Very clean and fresh, loads of raspberry, with time some rhubarb. Very young, looking forward to some others with a few more years on them to gain some complexity.
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3/26/2011 - MC wrote:
A bit of spritz out of the bottle, and needed some time to settle. This shows the head of the year, but is concentrated and candied - a bit like the '89 Beaucastel from memory at the same age. Feels like it still needs some time, and will always be a bit of an outlier, but a very good wine to have late in the meal. A-/A
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3/16/2011 - Maestro wrote: 90 Points
L 058 TAIL -- It still needs a few hours in the decanter to blow away some less desirable aromatics of sweet raisins and funk, but after that it becomes a solid wine with more secondary aromas of leather, cedar, and bacon fat. Very fruit-forward, but complex enough to impress. But, of course, this bottle just confirms the extreme bottle variation associated with this wine and this vintage. Each time I taste it it shows differently.
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3/12/2011 - winelovr2001 wrote: 95 Points
wow...there is some definated btl variation here. This wine was nothing like the last, a brillian CdP
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3/5/2011 - thomaskeil wrote: 93 Points
L 056 GUTE. Decanted 90 minutes. Lightish garnet. Nose of strawberry, cherry, earth, spice. Penetrating medium weight fruit with mineral, light acid spine and soft tannins, Almost felt fresh. Strong sense of cherry flavor, which to me did not approach pruniness, but obscured complexity a bit. Nicely balanced. Long aftertaste.
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2/28/2011 - ludwigbpm wrote: 89 Points
Déception pour ce vin qui m'est apparu légèrement disjoint et au nez dominé par les raisins secs. L'alcool chauffe et je me demande si ce vin évoluera si bien d'ici une dizaine d'années.
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2/28/2011 - MikeZ wrote:
monster wine. I think I prefer the weight of the 2000 and 2001, but still an impressive bottle of wine.
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2/25/2011 - Fooze wrote: 94 Points
excellent wine. Just a powerhouse, but very elegant. Great nose (sweet liqueur) and wonderful taste/length with fruit/sweet tea. Wine has got some volume and can last 10-15 years easy, but drinks beautifully.
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2/19/2011 - winelovr2001 wrote: 88 Points
Good, but overt VA and prune juice got in the way of the nose. Drinkable and Ok, but this didn't live up to its reputation.
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2/18/2011 - Karabiner wrote: 94 Points
This was huge and lovely, a magnificent dark and potent but nonetheless moorish CdeP.
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2/17/2011 - d'Artagnan wrote: 93 Points
Verticale de Clos des Papes
Un nez sur le fruit noir et la réglisse, qui se distingue des autres et me fait penser au Beaucastel. La bouche est réglissée avec une belle texture, ample, épicée et complexe. 93-94 pts
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2/6/2011 - ricko wrote: 96 Points
2003 Avril Clos des Papes CdP (RP97/WS97) 14.5%. This is just a beautiful wine. Mostly grenache. Popped and poured, no sediment at all. Cherry and raspberry on the nose and palate; clean, pure fruit. Medium body, nice length. Not terribly complex, but a joy to drink. Shows a bit of alcohol on the back end. The heat of the 2003 vintage makes me wonder about its ageability; anyone holding a few of these should definitely try one soon. RF96.
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2/4/2011 - wineamateur wrote: 89 Points
Funny wine this. Immediately after decanting, this was all sparkle, with a clean fresh spicy and hugely aromatic nose, great delineation and purity. Then all of a sudden it was leaden footed: still rich and sweet and powerful but the freshness and elegance had gone. An evolutionary stage, or just the vintage? 89?
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1/31/2011 - patwjr wrote: 93 Points
Very good wine, but not great right now. May need more time, slightly tannic, acidic, fruit seemed hidden. Same vintage Pegau Reserve was much better this night.
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1/1/2011 - Dave Canada wrote: 92 Points
Classic rhone nose but the palate was a bit clamped and there was noticeable heat on the backend...a little disappointing given all the hype
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12/30/2010 - Richard M wrote: 95 Points
4th of a case - 1st 2 dynamite, the third stewed, but this one back on track - like Shirley Muldowney driving a Top Fuel dragster, pure straight line power, well controlled. Color lightening up from black/purple of earlier bottles to brick red, nose initially a bit rank, but with some air time rich pure fruit and charcoal/embers predominate. Taste a balanced blend of all things Chateauneuf, in spades. A marvelous bottle, and the right accompaniment to a roast goose.
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12/29/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 95 Points
Cherries, raspberries, licorice. A great great bottle of CdP.
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12/27/2010 - LWI wrote: 88 Points
Paler than expected and with a slight brownish rim; initially very gamey, some leather and red and dark berry fruit; quite long and fairly intense, good acidity and some tannins, gamey in the mouth as well and with a bitter/burned aftertaste that was not entirely pleasant (which may reside, as in other CNdPs), some very dry prunes. Not at all any low acid, unstructured, fruit bomb - and I guess this will turn into a mellow, pleasant but not too interesting drink 5 years from now.
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12/24/2010 - AAA1 wrote: 89 Points
Alkohol and prunes.
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12/23/2010 - docwines wrote: 94 Points
very smooth
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12/12/2010 - Invinoverytas wrote: 95 Points
A wonderful CDP that had the unfortunate luck to follow a 2003 M. Chapoutier Le Pavillon. Decanted for about one hour. Perfectly drinkable now, but has time to improve.
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12/3/2010 - shadow wrote: 94 Points
still tasty, dark and fruity, nothing but good stuff
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11/26/2010 - i musicisti di boston Likes this wine:
Slightly volatile, initially, but that blew off. Pleasing Southern Rhone sweet fruit, balanced by nice savory leather and earth notes, but somehow didn't feel whole- some hollowness on the mid-palate, and less focus and persistence than I would have hoped. Still, very fine, just not a great bottle.
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11/22/2010 - Rechrom wrote: 92 Points
Much less disjointed than last bottle two years ago. Nice nose, very full and rich palate with a bit of over the top stuff raisiny notes detracting, clean and long finish. Could keep improving I suppose and get to really excellent, as there is certainly a huge amount of presence.
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11/12/2010 - godx wrote: 90 Points
Drank together with the 2000. Medium ruby with slight bricking towards the rim. Developing nose with lots of funk and barnyard with underlying notes of raspberry and kirsch. Ripe profile on the palate with loads of maraschino cherries, raspberries and red currants. Besides the slight bit of heat on the palate, the wine remains surprisingly balanced with medium acidity and tannins. A classic CdP nose, but a ripe modern palate that borders on being confected. A tasty and very enjoyable wine with a killer nose. I’m not sure how long-lived this will be given the vintage, but based on this bottle, it could use a few more years. Excellent. 90+
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10/30/2010 - dmalcolm wrote: 90 Points
Slow O'd for 3 hours. Started out thin and raisony. Took hours to open up. Did eventually gain some weight and developed some gaminess/spiciness but overall it seemed restrained.
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10/14/2010 - GreenDrazi wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2 1/2 hrs. Sublime
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10/10/2010 - Loren Sonkin wrote: 94 Points
A couple of cases on a Saturday afternoon: We opened this as we were discussing how fast the 03's from Europe are ageing as a general rule. This one was no exception. Lovely nose of barnyard, raspberries and violets. Complex and mature. Still plenty of life left but more advanced than the 01's. Cherries and raspberries on the palate. Nice balance. Still lots of fruit.
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9/26/2010 - Faryan wrote: 91 Points
An evening with Clos des Papes (Againn, Washington DC): Somewhat discombobulated. The wine was decanted for about 3-4 hours and still showed a bit of confusion as it seemed to undulate between different expressions. It needs more time to find balance and focus, but the wine is endowed with notes of raspberry, light hints of rhubarb, raisins and more of the animal gaminess that we saw in the 2000. I don't think this is in a great drinking window at the moment, but I am also hesitant mostly due to the vintage character, to age one of these for extended time in hopes of flourishing into a more complex 99. Rock and a hard place? 91 pts.
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9/24/2010 - Miceri wrote: 89 Points
Dark red with brownish rim; light fresh nose; burned notes, caramel, candy, sweet, hint of sherry, oxidized?; elegant, not jammy, not deep; nice
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8/19/2010 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Very good again tonight but there is a considerable amount of spritz that needs to blow off.
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8/3/2010 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
L 056 SECK. This opened up somewhat poorly with raisins on the nose and a shallow, simple, slightly sweet and limpid palate of weak cherry. Since I have been a big fan of this controversial wine, I was a bit worried. However the more this airs the more exciting this gets. Now 3+ hours later this has transformed. A screaming nose of VERY intense white pepper, a touch of heat, and some soaring cherry. Wowza, this sucker explodes from the glass. The palate is all funky, crazy and intense with hyper-cherry and more pepper. Pure, spicy, and powerful, this struts and struts with a tannic, Mourvedre driven finish. Despite all of the pure and ample fruit the structure is much more overt now than at any point when I have tasted this. Peppery, dusty, dry, and spicy, this has a load of tannin to resolve. Clearly not a wine for everyone, but I remain a big fan.
DAY 2: Well the remaining 1/3 of a bottle only improved with considerable integration of the tannins, no heat, and no raisin. This seems to have a lot of stuffing purity to go along with the overt ripeness.
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7/18/2010 - humagne wrote: 95 Points
Intense nose with sweet raspberries, licorice, spices, herbs, tea. Powerful on the palate with masses of smooth tannins. Very long. Still a baby, but with great promise!
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7/16/2010 - sfqwino wrote: 93 Points
From a half bottle. Decanted an hour prior to drinking. Quite light in colour, with some browning. Boy, this was gorgeous. Light yet impactful. The fruit was well integrated with the other components to offer a kaleidoscope of flavours. Herbs and dried flowers was most evident, accompanied with a myriad of flavours with blue and black fruits. Finishing long with a lingering black tea overtone. Intriguing, elegant and complex. Very delicious.
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6/27/2010 - AtoZ wrote: 88 Points
Raisiny. Took forever to open. Needs time or?
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6/21/2010 - mebydef wrote: 95 Points
Great wine. Nice length, beautiful richness, complex nose, and excellent depth.
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6/17/2010 - andtheodor wrote: 93 Points
Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Surprisingly light in color. Green nose reminiscent of fresh field marijuana, cut green herbs, olives, with a faint musky sweetness. Rich, ripe and mouth-filling, this has a pronounced tactile effect. Long, spicy, complex. Big but elegant, loved this.
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6/15/2010 - robmatic wrote: 95 Points
Very ripe with lots of complex fruit and spice flavors and incredible length. The most amazing thing about this wine is the color. It actually looks pretty weak- the color is pretty light, and that leads you to expect a weak wine. But the taste is a shock, as it is extremely powerful and concentrated.
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6/15/2010 - mwanasheria wrote: 93 Points
Light purple, Kirsch, raspberries, herbs, pepper.
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5/16/2010 - Vinsant wrote: 95 Points
Everything I want out of a CDP. Herbs, olives, iron, tea, black and red fruit, pepper, anise, and lavendar. Sat in the decanter about 1.5 hrs. Great long finish and went well with pheasant, lamb, and pork tenderloin.
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4/23/2010 - adrianywu wrote:
Still tannic. Surprisingly short aftertaste. Nose still undeveloped. Probably closed up. Would expect more sweetness in this vintage, but balance is good. Disappointed, probably because of expectations from the high scores.
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4/18/2010 - Jeff W wrote:
L05FR, bought at the Domaine.
I have had this before, in 2005 and 2008, and was impressed on both occasions. This time it's different. The nose is quite mute, a trace of alcohol and not much more. The finish is also very limited, with no hint of the long, spicy and tannic finish from the previous occasions. The fruit is still intense, but hard and pinched; raisiny, but without the sweetness of raisins. It's not in a good place right now. I don't think of Chateauneuf as closing down, but I find it hard to believe that a wine that was so good two years ago has reached the end of its development.
P.S. I was out to dinner the next night, so it was 48 hours later when I returned to finish the bottle. This is much more like it - now it has body and flavour and tannin. At the very end of the bottle you get the feeling of what it has been, and what it will become; a powerful and balanced and very impressive wine. Don't sell it , and don't drink it now. Just wait.
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4/18/2010 - mreinitz wrote: 92 Points
A little sweet with powerful red fruit and an almost liqueur-like quality. The flavors present themselves in a progression of layers in a way that is very enjoyable. Nice long finish with kalamata olives dominating. More complexity than I expected at this relatively young age. My only complaint is the slight hint of Brett on the nose and finish though this seems to often be the case for rhone wines.
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4/11/2010 - ghood wrote: 92 Points
Drank a 375ml about one week ago and no formal notes, but I'd say this has potential to be a mid-90s point wine. Right now it has a spritzy mouthfeel that takes an hour or so to blow off. Rich fruit, but fortunately, given the vintage, not overripe or raisined. Not much on nuances now, but I think they're there, just not showing right now. Will revisit one of my other 3 bottles in a few years time. I don't think this will make very old bones, but should be tasty drinking in 5-10 years from now.
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4/8/2010 - ekenneth Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nice bold fruit. Light on the palate, but powerful like a combination of a great new world grenache and a young burgundy; combination of red cherries and raspberries, a little hot at this point, but impressive. There's garrique and a compelling chateauneuf twist on a modern wine; delicious now but with the promise to be interesting and profound later.
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4/6/2010 - pkimhk wrote: 94 Points
Nose is still closed, but the taste is really coming alive. Deep, rich and ripe cherry flavors, with tobacco and tea. Violets, with a touch of spice. Great.
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3/15/2010 - Rayas78 wrote: 88 Points
A weell-made wine: concentrated and long. Howver, the prune and peppery finish was not to my taste.
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2/26/2010 - Opusone99 wrote: 95 Points
Le nez est sur la garrigue, épices, fruits rouges en arrière-plan. La robe présente de légères traces d'évolution. En bouche, un fruité exceptionnel est en place, la rétro-olfaction maintenant rendue sur la réglisse surplombe l'ensemble. Équilibre magistral, notes d'épices raffinées, texture des plus réjouissantes. Encore 5 ans et je pense que le vin atteindra son plateau. Le nez manque un peu de raffinement le vin étant trop concentré en ce moment. Atteindra de grands sommets. Cela sera un réel plaisir d'y retremper ses lèves dans quelques années. Grand vin.
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2/23/2010 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
BA had 4 hours delay so why not Drink some of Patrick's wine!
Always wanted to try this wine given the amount of diverse notes of it in CT and on the other hand the high Parker and WS rates. This was lot LO57MAUR for those who track it.
Decanted for like 30minutes. Definitely a young bottle with much more to give as it matures. Still okish to drink now, as the underlying sweetness in it masks some of the tannins. Nice on the nose too and with a longish finish.
I would definitely recommend it for what its worth and would look to buy some.
Not a bad way to pass a 4hour delay in Athens
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2/21/2010 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Note similar to previous bottles. Don't pop and pour b/c it takes a little time for the spritz to blow off and for the wine to open up.
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2/20/2010 - stephen locke wrote: 70 Points
All arms and legs - like a newborn foal that finds it difficult to stand - everything is there it's just not working together. There is some ripe fruit and some baked fruit, huge dry tannins, a wall of acidity and the burn of excessive alcohol all follwed by a medicinal, hot, burn't, dry, clipped finish. Quite unpleasant - a disjointed wine where all the components clash in your mouth. I really can't see how this will ever come round to be pleasant let alone stunning.
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2/13/2010 - d'Artagnan wrote: 95 Points
Nez enivrant aux arômes de réglisse et de kirsch, avec de la garrigue, certains arômes de thé, il développe déjà pas mal de complexité.
il est dense, concentré mais fin à la fois, avec cette très belle texture typique du cru et une pureté saisissante. Opulent, large et d'une densité qui tapisse la bouche, ce vin sort de sa torpeur et montre enfin l'étoffe qui lui avait valu tant de critiques élogieuses.
La finale est réglissée, fine et d'une élégance étonnante pour le millésime (dont les vins montrent parfois une chaleur et une puissance excessives). Du très bel ouvrage et encore loin de son apogée. Grand vin. 95+ pts
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1/14/2010 - shaftlet wrote: 95 Points
1st Night -- 2hr decant Medium garnet belies it's opulence. Open and seamless like a Grand Cru from the Cotes de Nuits. Straightforward cherry-kirsch with subtle hints of dried herbs. It's the layered texture and unrelenting length that is so captivating. 2nd night -- Much different, strangely more masculine. Fruit profile is darker leaning towards cassis with white pepper, kalamatta, lavender and dried thyme, finishes with a touch of cocao. Tannins aren't quite as silky but have a charming rusticity.
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1/9/2010 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Football & Chateauneuf du Papes @ Howard's 2010 (Old Greenwich, CT): Quite a bit of cranberry flavors, with prickly acids. Loads of Christmas spices. Medium bodied.
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1/9/2010 - A&C wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Was this much different than I anticipated. Initially, it had a little spritz in the finish. After some time in the glass, things calmed down, and it was a rich, ripe, and wonderful wine. Paired very well with food. My recommendation is that you decant it for a couple of hours before drinking. It really improved with time in the glass.
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12/31/2009 - schway wrote: 88 Points
From a 375. Licorice, menthol, eucalyptus, meat, stones, candied red fruits (cherry, cranberry), hints of orange peel. Too much alcoholic heat. Flavors are heavy, roasted and over-ripe. Acidity feels low, at least in relation to alcohol and (stewed) fruit. Very healthy tannins. A burst of jam on the mid-palate which dissipates almost immediately, leaving lots of grippy anise and bitter herbs on the medium (20-30 second) finish. Much more aromatic after 3 hrs, and added richness, datker flavors on 2nd day. Beautiful color. Nice silky texture, at least on entry. But overall unbalanced, and lacking in precision and depth. Not corked, and no other apparent "flaws.". Just not that good.
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12/30/2009 - tim m wrote: 93 Points
This bottle may have been flawed somewhat. As compared to previous bottle drunk over a year ago, the intensity, aromas and flavors were still there however the acidity had gotten out of balance. Could still recognize the great wine, but not balanced as it was previously.
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12/20/2009 - mukden wrote: 94 Points
YES. Still great [Lot No on Capsule was L058 CLOS] . See http://www.cellartracker.com/list.asp?Table=Notes&szSearch=Clos+des+Papes+Ch%E2teauneuf%2Ddu%2DPape .
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11/30/2009 - WildeMeeuw wrote: 88 Points
2003 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Frankrijk, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape) Kleur: Diep donkerrood, iets oranjebruine randje Aroma / bouquet: Open en uitgesproken. Opvallend rijp, rogge / rozijnen of krentenbrood, noten, pistache en maresquin-kers. Ook wat venkel, drop en laurier. Smaak / Afdronk: Prachtig gerijpt, zelfs al een wat oxidatief karakter, zacht, duidelijk rijp, ontwikkeld en jammy, rozenbottel. Sigarenkistjes. Veel - wat plakkerige - tannine, veel zuur, veel alcohol, klein zoetje en een opvallende houttoets. Algemeen / potentieel: SUPERLEKKER MET DRINKBAARHEIDSWAARSCHUWING. Nu werkelijk geweldig drinkbaar. Maar wat mij betreft maakt deze jaargang - hopelijk deze fles - een iets te vermoeide indruk om nog heel veel potentieel te hebben. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 11 + Smaak / Afdronk: 15 + Algemeen / potentieel: 7 = 88/100
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10/6/2009 - Jack wrote: 95 Points
L054JUNG - The heat that was evident in youth is gone. This was the best bottle yet and seems like it will continue to improve. Still needs a couple of hours to show its best but very good right from the beginning. Day 3 - A glass left over is amazing. Soft and smooth on the front end that continues to build to a long finish 97 pts tonight.
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9/29/2009 - JJL wrote: 86 Points
I have not been very happy with the '03 vintage in general (Rhone & Bordeaux) due to the over-ripe character of many of the wines from this freaky vintage and this wine has not changed my opinion. The wine is very sweet, borderline cough syrup and yet it has very little body to it, mostly acidic with very weak tannins. I prefer Nyquil as it is cheaper, tastes better, has more body and the results kick-in faster. I have had the opposite results with '03 Bordeaux which I find for the most part is also very sweet but with huge tannins and low acidity. I rated my last bottle higher, but that was after a long day of drinking, so probably benefited from my purple tongue. Forgot to check the lot #, but with the '07 vintage here, I am not buying any more '03 Rhones.
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9/23/2009 - TBAFB wrote: 94 Points
Surprisingly dark colour for Clos des Papes, but not incredibly deep. Fades gently to a paler rim with a touch of garnet. My first sniff said "woodsy", but after a while this came into focus as clearly and incredibly balsamic (in the best sense). Later it became more complex with notes of raisin, licquorice, very ripe gummy stems, spice and always with a suggestion of latent heat and power. Perhaps roasted is the nearest I can get. In some respects this is a mature bouquet, as there is nothing remaining of fresh fruits and yet something suggests more evolution is likely. On the palate this is similarly powerful and sui generis. Entry is big and quickly broadens into perhaps plum-like fruit. The weight of alcohol and extract shows itself quickly and the texture is almost viscous throughout. The roasted, balsamic and spicy flavours are reflected in the palate. I also noted a distinct note of salinity, something which added to the melange and makes the wine quite distinctive. Surprisingly the tannins are sophisticated and fine (I've had plenty of '03s which are problematic in this respect) and are easily absorbed within the wine. The finish is long and quite warm, but I do not note the telltale alcoholic 'sting in the tail' of many other '03s. Certainly this is approachable now and in many ways has evolved rather rapidly. But I do sense that this wine has a future, provided the heat remains under control as the fruit recedes. A wonderful and true expression of the vintage. It was bakingly hot that year even by the standards of the region.
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9/21/2009 - mukden wrote: 94 Points
WOW BUY. This is still young. It has that great CNF complexity of baconish, leathery flavours but, I would say, it has a ways to go in terms of development. I have 8 bottles left and will not revisit for another year. Clos des Papes has that ligher CNF style, characterised by more Grenache I guess, and like Rayas it always amazes that a light-red wine can deliver such an alcoholic punch combined with some real taste. At present, this will make your guests say, wow this is good; but save it and it will get much better. [Lot No on Capsule was L058 CLOS]
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8/28/2009 - KeithAkers wrote: 92 Points
Grenache Smackdown (Wally's, Arlington Heights): nose: has a real cool and laid back sense to it with well balanced tones of black fruits, roast beef, liqueur, and licorice tones. Great depth and balance on the nose that is really enticing
taste: succulent medium feel with really good tannins and well balanced tones of black fruits, liqueur tones, licorice tones, and a good amount of dark red cherries move well across the palate
overall: Comes across as young and in an in-between stage, it had excellent aromatics and depth, but they were hanging back a bit and not really giving their full effort at this time
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8/23/2009 - grapist wrote: flawed
Barely drinkable. Cooked and tasting of prunes. Second disappointment of 4 tried so far. From a CLOS batch, not SECK.
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8/9/2009 - KPB wrote: 86 Points
After all this time, I finally ran into a chance to try the Clos des Papes from a pristine bottle, white-market import (Julienne Imports, Chicago), lot 057 BVVI. And guess what? I still dislike this wine and can't fathom the high scores people have (continued) to bestow on it. Nose on this bottle is a bit high-toned, with cranberry and beeswax, musky aromas. with more air, a gentle aroma of shellac displaces the brioche note. I find none of the harsh iodine and maple syrup I was finding in my own (nine) bottles of Clos des Papes, but certainly not a particularly aluring nose, considering that I normally love this producer. But the problem is evident on the palate, which is harsh and disjointed with an upfront note of brioche (normally a positive thing) but taken to a degree that is positively aggressive. The mid palate seems short and rough, and the finish is a bit bitter. Noticably hot, too. The fruit is dominated by these odd flavors just as the nose is dominated by relatively unthrilling aromas. My conclusion? The bad bottles I've experienced were indeed bad, in the sense that they took all of these aspects even further. There can be little doubt in my mind that the 056 SECK bottling was from a different selection of barrels. Yet it was the same wine. Here, in the 057 BVVI, those flaws aren't as exaggerated. But still very much evident.
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7/16/2009 - clembos wrote: 95 Points
First nose: port and raisins. After that an amazing development. Instense rosehip, spices (esp. cloves), candied cherry, amazing complexity and length. Tobacco, cedar, leather, cranberry. You just can't stop tasting. Very good stuff!
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7/5/2009 - rnellans wrote: 89 Points
I was anxious to taste with all of the hype surrounding this wine. I see by CT notes that there is a lot of bottle variation . This bottle was very port like, ripe, pruny, and very hot on the nose and palate. Not to my liking. The palate was very fruit driven with soft tannins. Interesting. This bottle will not age well in my opinion...It appears that other bottles described are much better.
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6/29/2009 - grapist wrote: flawed
Decanted, never opened, clearly corked. Whattapisser
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6/23/2009 - Eric wrote: 94 Points
Since there has been so much reported variability on this wine I keep tabs of the lot number from the foil. This was from one of the supposedly problematic lots L 056 SECK, but it was far from problematic. Nothing roasted or pruney or Zin-like on the nose. No heat. Quite reticent at first, but a 30 minute decant shook that free to release glorious waves of Grenachey goodness. Pure, glorious, well-fruited, yet with fresh, classic CNDP flavors going on. Peppery and vibrant, this was at its best with some rotisserie chicken. I have had some bottles show better, and if anything this is a bit sulky and closed, but I was glad to check in on it for the first time in 18+ months.
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4/29/2009 - futronic wrote: 92 Points
April 2009 FWR Tasting (FWR, Toronto, Canada): Light-medium ruby colour. Crystal clear. Nose of kirsch, raspberry, currant, alcohol, herbes de Provence, brown sugar/molasses. Full-bodied, a little roasted, with prunes, raisins, raspberry coulis, and herbes de Provence. Long finish, ~45-50s, with more raspberries and raisins. The alcohol was as little more prevalent that I would have liked. I hope with more aging the alcohol is soaked up by the wine so it shows a bit better balance. This is a very big wine.
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4/29/2009 - vijayk416 wrote: 91 Points
Fantastic nose, could use much more time fore the palate to develop. 91+
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4/26/2009 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Nose of ripe cherries, sous-bois, spices, ripe peperonis... in the mounth quite fruity, integrated tannins, quite long but slightly drying tannins
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3/9/2009 - grapist wrote: 94 Points
Consistant with previous. Great juice.
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3/6/2009 - pikemasterflash wrote: 88 Points
Listerine anyone? Nothing on the nose. My tongue was tingling like I had been to the dentist. Not sure what others see here. I am definitely a seller and am concerned about all of the 2006 & 2007 I bought based on how over rated these are.
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2/12/2009 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
Wineflock - Worldwide Grenache (Boka): Lovely nose of ripe round black fruit with lovely spice and pepper notes. Nice big rich bright black cherry fruit - nice. 94-95 pts.
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2/12/2009 - Nanda wrote: 95 Points
Worldwide Grenache (Boka - Chicago): A fascinating wine. Flamboyant yet 'traditional ... new world texture but very old world flavors. Nose is rich with red fruit and loads of herbs. Full bodied palate with concentrated fruit that has good lift and freshness. Pronounced game, earth, leather and herbal notes add complexity. Excellent.
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2/8/2009 - pbaek wrote:
2003 CdP tasting at Rothmann's Steakhouse, New York. So 2003 Clos des Papes on the nose. Macerated cherries, hot, alcoholic. At first it seems totally off, but with a bit of air this gets better. The tannins are prominent in my view so I am in the camp who believes this is way too young to drink now. Others at the table disagree and believe there is only one way for this wine and its downhill.
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2/1/2009 - Jack wrote: 94 Points
Berry interesting. This was very good from the start with some primary fruit dominating. It began to close a little within an hour and then needed another two hours to really strut it's stuff. There was just a hint of mocha but some really fresh pine action going on. Some tannin was there providing structure and a good dose of acid balanced things out.
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1/18/2009 - toomuchwine wrote: 94 Points
This was smooth as silk, not hot at all and a real crowd pleaser at Charlie's.
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1/17/2009 - David Paris (dbp) wrote: 91 Points
Châteauneuf-du-Pape from the '80s and '90s (Tabla, Portland, OR): From a split. Open 2-3 hours. Big, but not too complex on the nose, expressing cake bread. Very reductive. Seems closed to me on the mid-palate and finish, but is very smooth. Not at all over the top as I expected from the vintage. Very smooth and pure throughout, but again this one needs much more time to aerate, or better yet, a decade plus in the cellar. Pleasant now though, just not overwhelming.
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1/15/2009 - Cheryl wrote:
US/French Grenache (Ox Restaurant, Jersey City, NJ): I liked this, but not as much as in Spring. It was more consistent with traditional CdP, than the what I perceived the last one to be. Nice wine. Lots of fruit, but not as new world sweet as US grenache, for example. The color is cloudy and there is dirt on the nose.
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1/15/2009 - mdefreitas wrote: 90 Points
Popped and poured. Started out promising enough with classic CdP aromas of pepper, warm stones, scorched earth, garrigue and cherry liquor. Unfortunately, a bit of a let-down on the palate. While letting the wine sit in my mouth, the alcohol seemed quite obvious. The fruit seemed slighted roasted as well. A 95 points nose, an 85 point palate... let's split the difference...
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12/26/2008 - br wrote:
bot from PreCru. virtually no smell or taste other than some faint fruit and a bit of brown sugar. mostly alcohol on the palate and not much else. don't know the lot number.
2nd day - some cherry licquer and harsh alcohol, quite a bit of brown sugar on the palate and lots of hard edged alcohol. not my thing and I'm at an absolute loss as to what the ruckus is about this wine.
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11/23/2008 - gregg g wrote:
A dark a brooding beast of a wine, this wine is clearly just a toddler. It's difficult to asses this wine in terms of current drinking pleasure. I like more mature elements, yet also enjoy wines with baby fat. This had neither. It seems to have significant material but for the most part this wine seems to be in need of many years to sort itself out. I have a feeling this wine will be stunning when it comes out of it's shell. I'm guessing at least 2018. There is definitely a sense of balance, though a touch of heat is noticeable on the back end. Current aromas and palate notes are of little value right now.
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11/23/2008 - tim m wrote: 97 Points
When I opened it, I was concerned because the cork was very soft, there was a little leakage at the end you could see after removing the foil, so I was worried I had a bad lot. My 6 bottles are lot L05FR. There's a lot going on here. Need to decant for a few hours if not overnight. Tight and slightly acidic when first opened. Two to three hours later, it was unbelievable. Almost even better the next night. Very aromatic, fills your mouth with fruit, very smoot tannins show up after 10 to 20 seconds. All in balance. WOW.
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11/20/2008 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
HUB Tasting (Custom House): Blind. Full red color. Forward nose of red fruit and barnyard with a hint of heat. Big spicy black fruit with hints of tar and black spice.
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10/18/2008 - RSheldon wrote: 96 Points
L056 LAUB sourced through Wines of France. Incredible complex nose of red fruits, soft spices and a little cola [not the type associated with a volatile type defect]. Silky smooth in the mouth with a hint of rich blue fruits giving away to warm spices and a wonderful long smooth cherry liquor finish.
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9/30/2008 - ths wrote: 96 Points
This bottle was stunning. Drank around the latern while camping, it stopped everyone in their tracks, amazing floral nose, juicy fruit and licorice notes with a long cherry finish.
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9/28/2008 - decaturwinedude wrote:
Chateuaneuf in ATL 9/28/08: The bottle Dr. Don left for us. There was a lot going on here. I wasn't crazy about a lot of it. I think I'd like to try this again in five years. It was just too packed for me right now. Candied fruit, sweet cherries, some garrigue. But it borders on being OTT. Bit of alcohol poking about. A few at the table liked it, but some skeptics on this one.
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9/21/2008 - jclary wrote: 94 Points
Very floral and fragrant on the nose, as well as slightly alcoholic. Not the best example of this wine...I have had better bottles. Perhaps this one is slightly shut down. A long finish, also slightly hot. Still tannic but with good fruit. Should have a long life ahead of it. What will this turn into?
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9/19/2008 - Jeff W wrote:
Clos des Papes offline (St John): A powerhouse of concentrated sweet fruit. Powerful, dense and full bodied. Recognisably Clos des Papes, but with added muscle. Very ripe, but not roasted. Incredible intensity. Very tannic, spicy and long. Does this reflect a change of style, or the vintage - the latter I think. Best left alone for a long time. exc?
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9/19/2008 - SimonG wrote:
Clos des Papes Offline: Very fragrant, floral, scented high notes. Kirsch, slightly lifted. Full certainly, but actually quite balanced. Possibly a little hot on the finish but really just big. Hedonistic but possibly a touch simple. Difficult to predict the future. ***?
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8/12/2008 - cgseldin wrote: 95 Points
Harmonious and lovely. Consumed from a 375. Ready.
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8/2/2008 - smokeyUST wrote: 75 Points
If this bottle was not flawed then it is simply a giant rip off. Tasted like what you could get from Franzia. I don
t even want to talk about it anymore.
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7/28/2008 - tcfishler wrote: 97 Points
It's sad to see that there have been so many subpar bottles of this wine, but luckily this one showed the wine's best qualities. The color is a medium dull cherry red. Upon opening, this is already very expressive yet continuously evolving, with a somewhat candied first impression that shifts towards dill/sage/oregano-seasoned raspberry/cherry, floral notes that come across as entirely natural and not artificially perfumed, and a faintly saline note. In the mouth, sweet but stony, with an almost lipsmacking quality. Seamless in texture but with furry tannins, showing both persistence in the glass and length on the finish. The breadth and depth here is stunning, with zero heat or volatility detracting. At its best, a classic primed for a long life.
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7/24/2008 - plhew wrote: 91 Points
Really was looking forward to trying this, but this is now the second bottle that did not live up to expectations. Decanted for an hour. Nice nose, color etc. but was too acidic for my taste. Is not nearly as balanced as the 03 pegau and other CDPs. Hopefully this will change over time but not confident. Too bad since I have so many botttles.
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7/16/2008 - jbposell wrote: flawed
Blech. Pruny and over the hill, pretty alcoholic and just not nice. Tried decanting for several hours, but still nothing. We dumped it and drank Saxums instead! Purchased from Premier Cru, don't know lot ID...
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7/13/2008 - winelovr2001 wrote: 94 Points
This wine needed way more time in the decanter than it got. That being said, it still showed its fruit and spice beautifully. Displaying a slight sweetness on the edge, it was balanced well by the huge spice.
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7/11/2008 - Siggy wrote: 95 Points
Jeb Does Minneapolis, Round 2: CDP (Heidi's, Minneapolis): Third time I've tasted this. We searched in vain for the lot number; for what it's worth this bottle was sourced through the "white" retail market in the US, not the gray market. Pretty compelling stuff. Very ripe, but showing no heat. Layers of red fruit, garrigue, roasted meat, and minerals, with a super-long finish that reveals saturated ripe tannin. Great purity of fruit, with no hint of VA or surmaturite. This is actually quite balanced, dare I say elegant, in spite of the powerful fruit.
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7/6/2008 - cfe wrote: 94 Points
Wow. Was prepared to hate this wine, as a hot vintage overipe failed science experiement, but that was not to be. Outstanding aromatics of red fruits, Provencal spices, and garrigue, really compelling. Cherries, kirsch, wow! Ripe, yes, but did not stick out or show the alcxohol I expected. Big wine, yes, but a pleasure to drink with BBQ Brisket and ribs. Palate is full bodied, intriguing mix of kirsch, cherries, spices and herbs, and earthiness. Quite impressive. Not flabby, immense, but has enough acid to hold it all together. Long finish. No sense of how ageworthy this will be, but it is wonderful right now, why wait?
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6/30/2008 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Drank at home from a 375ml bottling [L05DB] with Rachel and Lionel, had some Amsterdam cheese on the side that went nicely. After all the talk about this vinatge, I thought I should try it and weigh in with my opinion, especially given that I am particularly partial to Clos des Papes. Suffiice to say, I found this a real joy to drink, especially given the plonk I have been having recently. This must be one of the "good" bottles then and, boy, what a good bottle it was too.
I poured some into a glass and decanted the rest. The nose was stunning from the outset. A touch of brett, traditional CdP tones of barnyard and leather and distinct whiffs of alcohol (cue fear of over-cooked, bad wine), but that was followed by layer after layer of dark, ripe cherries and secondary aromas of bramble / garrigue, dried herbs and pepper and a touch of roast-beef blood. Beautifully complex. I was hoping that the palate would follow through on the nose. It was a bit tight initially, but still very good. Medium bodied, but rather dense, it attacked with a burst of heat (cue fear again), high acid, almost a bit tart (a real suprise for me here) and firm tannins. However, there was real intensity and power in the ripe fruit that underlay that firm backbone, dark cherries wrapped in leather, and a really long finish with spice, leather notes, cedar wood some roasted flavours. I started smiling with glee.
After an hour in the decanter, the secondary flavours faded slightly, but I am glad to say that the alcohol heat dissipated as well, leaving a sweet, ripe and rather higher-toned nose of cherries and rasberries - almost kirsch like. The palate had taken on licorice flavours, and the wine finished more with a ferrous minerality, more red meat and the lingering flavour of haw flakes. More roasted notes too. After two hours, the roasted notes, any sourness and hints of brett subsided, and the wine took on really rich, ripe cherry and rasberry flavours, with just a hint of raisins here and there. The palate was plush and layered, while the tannins and acid became a little more noticeable, it was all very seamless. Lovely.
Overall, I think this is a really, really good wine. Not your typical Clos des Papes, but then neither is the monumental 2005, both wines being denser, thicker and rather riper than what I am used too from this producer. I think the 2005 is a shade better, given its massive structure and super-fresh acid that gives a tremendous sense of balance to the rich fruit. Still, I enjoyed every bit of this excellent bottle and, considering the secondary flavours that were there when I first opened the bottle and the firm backbone of the wine, I think that it will be a real beauty in 5 years time.
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6/28/2008 - mgaetzi wrote: 75 Points
Big disappointment, red fruits, lots of alkohol, light body, short finish, thats it. I hope, this was not a representative bottle.
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6/23/2008 - Cheryl wrote:
Cheryl Does France and Doesn't Hate It (Skinner's Loft, Jersey City, NJ): My wine nemisis predicted on Saturday that I'd like this if I ever had a chance to try it and, lo and behold, here it is at a tasting on Monday night. It pains me to admit it was pleasant. This was consumed after the Pegau and I found it fresh, bright and fruity. It wasn't the same wine with food. It was unenjoyable, in fact, but prior to and after food, this was enoyable. For those who are interested in the corkage issue that some bottles from this vintage have had, this bottle was from the following lot: L056, LAUB.
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6/14/2008 - Dubliner wrote: 93 Points
[L056LAUB] Well ! I'm starting to become a believer again. This is the second bottle in a row that has performed for me. Perhaps the earlier bottles were just in a weird dumb phase. In any event, this one is more like what it should be. Still not up to the level of the Pegau Reservee (a high bar indeed), this opened up to reveal a pleasant nose of cherry, cloves and brambles in a ruby robe. Silky, lush mouthfeel and decent finish. I hope this continues to improve...
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5/29/2008 - jordanj wrote: 94 Points
Dinner w/ friends (Le titi de paris): Fantastic and drinking so well so young. Very perfumed. a little alcoholic but a very nice big wine, with a finish that went on and on. This is a great wine that will only get better
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5/15/2008 - Jack wrote: 92 Points
L054 JUNG. Starts out spritsy when opend (86). After a half hour the spritz blows of and there is good fruit but seems chard and taste like a gamay(88). Three hours in it really comes alive(92+). If you open them now make sure you have enough time to decant for at least a couple of hours.
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5/3/2008 - JLL wrote: 80 Points
back to form for the joke, or cdp impersonator that is the 057MELO batch...tonight was a base level cdr, far removed from other batch labels that I have tried, or should I say consistent with the crap that I bought with this designation from PC...
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5/2/2008 - JLL wrote: 94 Points
finally a bottle of the L057 that was not a cheap cdr impression, what is going on with this producer...fantastic, but will never buy another bottle due to the enormous bottle variation, out of 6 bottles, 5 were plonk, and one was very good, but not spectacular
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4/26/2008 - Philippe_C wrote: 93 Points
Spicy nose and ripe cherries with a hint of licorice... in the mounth, very ripe cherries with a long aftertaste, but slightly hot finish...
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4/23/2008 - bsherwin wrote:
Clos des Papes Vertical (Tribeca Grill): Looks like we got one of the good bottles of the '03. It really is a whale of a wine with tons going on. Kirsch, kirsch and more kirsch on the nose mix with a tasteful melange of asian spices, vanilla and tar. I'm a bit of a sucker for cardamum in wine, but the combination of the spice and vanilla got me thinking about oak and I really didn't want to go there. It had wonderful presence on the palate, being weighty but not heavy, with dark raspberry framed by silky tannins and a lemony acidity. It is of monumental size and is really exciting to drink, but it isn't quite at rest right now and all the pieces don't completely make sense in the context of the wine. The '05 seemed a touch more precise. Let it sit a while and cross your fingers you didn't get a bad batch.
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4/23/2008 - JOsgood wrote: 95 Points
Clos des Papes Vertical (Tribeca Grill, NYC): Very big with tons of fruit upfront. Huge nose. Lush in the mouth. Great bottle although I prefer the more elegant traditional vintages.
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4/1/2008 - ths wrote: 89 Points
Somewhat thin, tight, but floral. Opened in the glass a bit but took a couple of hours in an open bottle to hit its stride. Even then, just OK.
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3/18/2008 - grapist wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 2 hours prior to rebottling for the trip to the restaurant (Shaw's). Decanted there and was last of 4 bottles (a Champagne and 2 white Burgs.) the 5 of us drank. Bouquet and flavors got bigger with time. Most everything you'd want in a CdP and all in balance. Some might look for more "power" for a higher rating. The flavors are complex, but subtle, not slap you up-side-da-head...which is fine with me.
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3/15/2008 - mdefreitas wrote: 87 Points
Blind Pairs @ Howard's (Old Greenwich, CT): I think I might have decanted this too much (9 hours). When I first opened this up, the nose showed nice ripe red fruits, cracked black pepper and hot stones. A lot of the freshness disappeared after the lengthy decant, leaving noticable acetic acid, cough syrup and alcohol. Got a bit overbearing after a while. The score reflects an average of my impressions from both the time I opened it and 9 hours later.
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3/10/2008 - ctwomey wrote: 92 Points
Decanted for 24 hours. Much improved on the previous bottle. Packed with fruit, specially blue berries, Lovely long finish. It is going to need many years in bottle.
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3/1/2008 - ctwomey wrote: 90 Points
Dinner at Kev & Vals (Kilmacoo House): We decanted the CdP for 2 hours. Seemed closed for now. Very little aromas and thin on taste. Drank with a Brane-Cantenac which was great. The wine didn't match the complexity of the Margaux. Drunk with the finest fillet steak and home made chips. I cannot see how James Suckling can rate the Margaux 93 and James Molesworth rate the CdP 97. Should be reversed. There are a number of other people's Tasting Notes with bottling inconsistencies. I hope that is it.
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2/25/2008 - beachnic wrote: 90 Points
This wine is bizarre. The first time I had it..I hated it. It was closed down, thin tasting and what you could taste had a burnt, candied watery syrup flavour to it. This time I like it but what a strange tasting CDP. The fruit is much more noticible now. It still has a candied sweet aspect to it that does not remind me of CDP but it's actually quite pleasant now. The tannins bring it more into balance. I'm letting this decant overnight to see what happens.
After decanting overnight: Finally got a nice nose of leather, a little garrigue and cherries/cherry pie. There is a little alcohol on the nose as well ( it's still not a big nose and that should count against it). The taste is of sour cherries going into sweet cherries at the end. Slighly mouth drying tannins are decent. Not a huge finish. My first impression of this last night was promising but now I'm back in the Ho Hum camp. If I tasted this blind and given a price that I'd purchase it for I'd say around $30ish. It has sour cherry/cherry pie flavours that slap you in the face, a decent mouthfeel, but restrained nose and finish. Some alcohol that is not that attractive. This is still closed down.
If the nose started to be much more expressive and pronounced , fruit became less sour, deeper and sweeter and everything lingered more at the end then it would merit a higher score. Reminds me of a Barolo but I liked the 2001 Abbona Pressenda Barolo I had last week better and it's around $55/bottle
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2/22/2008 - Terkel wrote: 96 Points
Mixed wines (Terkels appartment): Dark red color with a purple hue. Delicious nose of spiced raspberry, strawberry, herbes de provence and dryed fruit, prunes. On the palate it has a lot of fruit sweetness first with raspberry and strawberry. But remains elegant and extremely delicate. Some bitterness and tobaco on the midpalate, before a long finish with herbs, pepper and prunes. Dry on the finish, but very mouth watering due to fruit acidity. Very smooth and elegant, and superb balance makes this a fantastic wine.
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2/20/2008 - JLL wrote: 81 Points
L057 MELO is not the same wine as the other Clos des Papes!!!!! Repeat, THIS IS NOT THE SAME WINE AS OTHER HIGH SCORING CDPS. Thin, alcohol smell, minor fruit, plus a color that was several shades lighter than the L057 CLOS right next to it?,....we tasted this blind against an L057 CLOS, no comparison. The CLOS was far superior, by 10pts or more. I can not imagine how this is the same wine. The cork was perfect, no signs of any heat damage, etc...The enormous variability of these wines will stop me from buying again
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2/9/2008 - Dubliner wrote: 93 Points
Well, my faith is restored. Lovely nose of garrigue, raspberry and plums. Smashing stuff compared to the last few bottles I've had. Still not an ethereal experience; there's room for the nose to be more explosive, for the palate to be more intense, and the finish longer, but a good showing. In view of the recent bottles I've had I can definitely confirm this is one inconsistent wine...
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2/1/2008 - tonygoldstone wrote: 94 Points
Shoshana's Birthday Wines!: 19.16 from Seckfords. Cork. 4 hour decant. Dark red but tranlucent. Red fruit, leather and cedar on the nose. Intense and powerful palate of red fruits, chocolate and a great long finish. Not yet opened my case of 03' but cant wait to see how this baby will develop.
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2/1/2008 - Frederik wrote:
OK, but rather strange and not with the purity of earlier. give it a lot of time
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12/31/2007 - Arch57 wrote: 91 Points
L057 HART - I just had to try this wine seeing all the recent tasting notes and holding the 03, 04 and 05. Decanted for 2 hours at cellar temp I was surprised there is not much of a nose. I mean we had to sniff deeply to get some light rasberry notes. On the palate it had some sweet cherry fruit and over the evening was a pleasure to drink but not the blockbuster I was expecting. The tannins were not tight so I do hope that this improves with time in the bottle. Maybe it really is just shut down.
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12/23/2007 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Very nice nose of pepper,cherry, floral, leather and earth. Mild funk that blows off on the palate along with earth, Asian spices, cherry, and leather notes. Medium and concentrated finish. Should drink well for a few decades. Currently 93
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12/23/2007 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
L 056SECK. After tasting so much Clos des Papes earlier this week, I was revved up and itching for some more. Alas, the other day I opened a 2001, and it was corked. So tonight I popped a 2003 ... which was so heinously corked it was SCARY! Not to be deterred, I went back to the well one more time for another 2003. This one had a poor looking cork which broke in half as I tried to remove it. I was worried, since another bottle from the same case earlier this week was oxidized due to a split in the cork. If you're keeping score, the first two bottles from the case were flawed with #3 looking tentative. Fortunately the dry cork was a red herring. The wine was strong, young, reticent, but with a stunningly plush and deep mid-palate. Aromatically this bottle was holding back a lot, but the depth of intensity. Mmm, sweet cherry, raspberry, garrigue, white pepper, this stuff just rocks with such purity and focus.
DAY 3: Alas, I had one glass left which I simply corked up and left on the counter, but I didn't get to it on day 2. Today I decided to see if it was still alive. Nose shows some more action now, a little pruney and roasted but not unappealing. The palate, wow the palate, this is very structured both with tannins and acid. Mmm, the waves of garrigue come at you, very classic flavors now, a little more crunchy and Grenachey than on day 1. I am amazed this is not only alive but in fact improved.
I have little fear about these L 056SECK bottles ... simply bad luck with corks on the first two.
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12/23/2007 - Eric wrote: flawed
L 056SECK. Badly corked.
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12/21/2007 - JLL wrote: 80 Points
057 MELO- Blahhhhhh- NR, or this batch just sucks...., upon opening there was a crack extending the length of the cork that was surrounded by wine. Decanted, and prayed.....after 2 hours, the fruit was gone and all that was left was a tar covered oak chunk.......
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12/20/2007 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
Clos des Papes Shootout (Seattle, WA): L 054 JUNG. Mmm, some funk/bretty notes, spice, a great nose, really ripe. Wow, this is great stuff! Stupendous wine that has it all with an extra oomph, very dynamic, vibrant, white pepper, funk, power and vibrancy. I incorrectly guessed this as the 2005, and no taster picked it as a 2003. Hands down the favorite wine for each taster.
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12/20/2007 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Clos des Papes Shootout (Seattle, WA): L 057 CLOS. Rather mute at first with notes of iron and rust dominating for quite a while. Eventually this starts to yield spicier notes on the nose that struck me as a bit more Zinfandel than Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Wow, big disconnect between palate and nose, super zippy, vibrant, intense, this is C*R*A*Z*Y. This just pounces all over you, very tight relative to the rest of the wines, but after 75+ minutes it really started to open up. In the end my notes were pretty simple: "This rocks!" Amazing minerality and spice on the finish. All four tasters correctly picked this as a 2003. 95+ points for me and gaining very rapidly after a slow start.
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12/20/2007 - Eric wrote: flawed
Clos des Papes Shootout (Seattle, WA): L 056 SECK. Hoohah, fun and reasonably expressive nose right from the get go! Bramble and funky-dunky Grenache pop right of the glass. Definitely smells more 'dense' as it airs with string notes of raspberry jam and a definite overripe element on the end of the nose. Mmm, this is weighty and spicy with super vibrancy, white pepper, dynamic, intense, very nice! Wowza, there is LOTS of minerality on the finish with tooth-gripping structure, on the verge of 'uncivilized' at this stage and definitely almost over the top. Every taster correctly picked this as a 2003, and given some of the complaints of the vintage and wine, this was most in that neighborhood. Despite that, I had this at 93 in my book. Around the time we were comparing notes (but before we had unbagged) I started to notice a increasingly troubling edge of volatile acidity on the nose. At this point I recalled that one of the 2003's had an unusual cork with a vein/split running 1/4 of the way up the bottom end of the cork on one side (and wet into the middle of the cork). Right then and there upon smelling the faint whiff of VA I showed the group the cork and bet that when unveiled that this would in fact be a 2003 AND the bottle from whence that defective enclosure had been removed. I further postulated that the VA was a sign of some oxidation and that it was an enclosure issue. Who knows if my theory was correct, but when we unbagged later I was indeed correct in identifying the bottle. I am rating this as NR since I think it was flawed as a result of a poor cork. That said, my notes clearly show that I enjoyed the wine a lot for the first 60-75 minutes. By the way, all four tasters correctly guessed this as a 2003.
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12/19/2007 - John McCabe wrote: 94 Points
Picked this up in Ireland for €50. Worth it, would definitely benefit from more bottle age. Also needs to be decanted at least a half hour. Very nice. Not as good as the '01 I had a while back though.
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12/17/2007 - TheOtherPoster wrote: 88 Points
Given the controversy I decided to open the first of these tonight. Color is a lightish ruby. Nose was muted on opening and has remained so for four hours... actually, I'm getting less from it right now than before. I find garrigues, red cherry... I am biased by so many TNs that I might think I find a hint of reductive or scorched aromas. No raisons / prunes on the nose, nothing chemical. The palate is light-bodied, and, amazingly, seems to taste of very little. A bit of fruity sweetness makes a mild impression. No raisons, etc. Fairly hollow middle. An unremarkable touch of heat. Brief finish. If I had this blind I'd say a nice enough Cotes du Rhone. Given what it is I say it's closed (man, I sure hope so!) All things considered it gets 88 points for its showing tonight. Lord knows what will happen in the future.
---LOT # L054 JUNG
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12/16/2007 - G SQUARED wrote: 94 Points
Dinner at Beaune's w/Jeff. This is too young to drink right now. Very one dimensional, but what a dimension it is. Lots of life left and will turn into a beauty in about 5 years or so.
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12/6/2007 - the godfather wrote: 94 Points
the all over ratings on this wine fascinate me. this reminds me of a lighter version of the 2003 Mon Aieul. Very very ripe for clos des papes and not as typically elegant, glad I had the opportunity to try, but I prefer the more classic years, although based on the structure here, I would love to taste this in 10 years
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11/24/2007 - Dubliner wrote: 88 Points
Thin and uninspiring. Insipid - almost like it was watered down. Another strike against it, but I live in hope...
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11/7/2007 - jivey wrote: 90 Points
Backstreet - Closed nose, rose, red fruits very complex with a big long finish.
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11/7/2007 - goofy Yno wrote: 94 Points
Spece, plumb, soft feel in the mouth with good balance, red fruit.
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11/7/2007 - kstoddard wrote:
eRobert Parker Offline - Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Amarone (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Floral nose. Charred oak. Super rich and extracted. Sweet, black fruit. Noticeable alcohol on the mid palate and finish. Firm tannins. Shutting down in the glass. Not showing very well tonight. 14.5% alcohol.
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11/3/2007 - Maestro wrote: 89 Points
This wine displays very many good elements, but lacks harmony and integration. The nose displays red fruit, cedar, and leather. The palate is rich, but disjoint, showing a bit too much heat, alcohool, and oak, which is not yet well integrated. The finish is better, with a classic CdP profile, but with echoes of the heat and the alcohool. Judging by the other reviews, this wine just lost its baby fat and the sweetness of its youth and is now in an unfavorable stage. Let us hope that the elements will become better integrated in about 3-5 years' time. In the meantime, the 2004 is drinking much better.
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10/27/2007 - Moorese wrote: 93 Points
My 40th and some notes...Bordeaux, CdP, Quilceda, etc. (Seattle): Beautiful strawberry notes with some barely evident herbs and lavender on the nose, but this drinks with some reticence. Fresher and livelier than the Pegau (and Mon Aieul for that matter), but the fruit is peeking around the corner as opposed to announcing itself like the Mon Aieul.
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10/20/2007 - Dubliner wrote: 91 Points
Impressive but not overwhelming showing this time. I'm beginning to believe that there is tremendous bottle variation associated with this wine. Perhaps a hint of heat damage. This bottle was undrinkable
the second day.
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10/15/2007 - Jeff Leve wrote: 95 Points
This sports one of the darkest colors I’ve seen in a young Chateauneuf. Intensely concentrated with massive layers of ripe, dark and peppery, ripe red fruit. Full bodied, alcoholic and richly concentrated, I'm not sure why this wine invites all the controversy.
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10/15/2007 - jerhardt wrote: 91 Points
Either this has lost its baby fat really quickly, or this is a different wine than I had a year ago. Nothing like the thick lush essence of raspberry liquer, this bottle drank more like a classic CndP, but with a bit of heat. Moderately astringent with drying tannins, this was really showing the leather and dried cherry notes. High strung and clearly in need of quite a few years. I cannot rate this higher as the alcohol showing through significantly reduced the enjoyment.
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9/30/2007 - simpsonr wrote: 96 Points
Deep crimson color and moderately translucent. This wine opens slowly to reveal a quite gorgeous CdP. The nose is deep with dried cherry, red and black licorice. The palate is super ripe but well balanced beetween the fruit and structural components. This comes across as more of a hedonistic pleasure more than an intellectual wine but at the same time this is no froo froo ooze bomb. Will be fun to watch over the coming decade.
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9/4/2007 - Rechrom wrote: 90 Points
Great nose, disjointed and clunky palate with good length. Obviously has a huge amount of fruit, but is not as good as most of the ten other vintages of this I have tasted at present. Hopefully will gain complexity with time and lose the hit-me-over-the-head aspect.
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8/4/2007 - BradA wrote: 92 Points
Pretty damn tasty stuff; however it really was much richer the second day as I poured a glass with lunch and debated finishing the bottle. Karen had a glass at dinner and was very pleased. The wine seems to lack the punch Pegau offers, but still shows vibrant and rich fruit, great backbone and enough power to go the distance. I will be looking out for the future vintages.
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7/28/2007 - mlhla wrote:
Not as spectacular as the .375 bottle I consumed previously.
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7/22/2007 - DRL01 wrote: 87 Points
Not a big fan at this stage.
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7/22/2007 - jwolfsthal wrote:
I finally popped on of these to judge for myself and I side now with those who wonder what all the fuss is about. Opened and sat in bottle for 4 hours. Yes, this is a nice wine – fruit, depth and tannins, but shows a lot of heat - even 4 hours, and never really came together. Cherry, kirch, spice box, olive, and chewy flavors. Served with rib in steaks from the grille with rosemary sauce. People preferred the steaks to the wine. 90-91 maybe. Not to my tastes and not a top rated wine, IMHO
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7/21/2007 - Squirreljam wrote: 92 Points
Pulled a quick bottle from the cellar prior to hamburgers outside - so impressions only. Nose of blackberry jam with a note of licorice. Rich fruit on palate with firm tannins on finish. Still very primary but lots there for the future.
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7/12/2007 - Pacherant wrote: 92 Points
Still young but packed with sweet flavours. I presume this will continue to develop more interesting flavours. Potentially a great wine and fun to drink now but didn't knock my socks off.
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6/3/2007 - Northern wrote: 94 Points
Explosive, intense nose of kirsch liqeur, plums, raisins, pepper, garrigue, licorice, newly ground coffee. Full bodied yet somewhat elegant, no signs of heat, very long. I usually find raisins off-putting in wines, however with food and then some cheese this wine really shone. Still primary, will get better, but balanced.
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5/22/2007 - Jack wrote: 93 Points
L054 JUNG. Big. Still needs time but very enjoyable now. 3 hour decant (still some spritz) and enjoy.
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5/10/2007 - KPB wrote: 85 Points
This wine just keeps sagging. Bitter, disjointed, aggressive on the nose and the palate, hot. From my cellar (temperature controlled), and from my stash (purchased from two sources), the 03 Clos is a train wreck. Drink up... it ain't improving... Those who like this either are drinking something else (under that theory, though, how to explain that I ended up with the same wine from Grapes and from Premier Cru?), or have really different palates than I do.
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5/4/2007 - RSheldon wrote: 96 Points
Wild Game with 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape + Extras (Skymountain Circle): Broke out a second bottle due to calls for seconds on salads . . . how often does THAT happen? Pop-n-poured. A little less intense, a bit less explosive – but still wonderful in my book. In the mouth a delicate sweetness, proper tannins, herbs and sage and that wonderful dried cherry. On the nose, THAT unmistakable island cigar tobacco, spiced pepper, hints of cola and cherry. I’d eat salad for breakfast if Clos des Papes came with it!
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5/4/2007 - RSheldon wrote: 98 Points
Wild Game with 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape + Extras (Skymountain Circle): I’m short of words. After working through a half case since last August, finally I figure out what the hubbub is about. This is a great CDP with FOOD. It has been opened, not decanted, for two hours. First I had a bite of the fresh green/gorgonzola chunk/balsamic vinegar salad . . . then an explosion. With the first taste it is all at once spice box, provincial herbs, dried cherry and sweet, well integrated, tannins. On the nose, island cigar tobacco, black and white pepper, hints of cola and fresh cherry. Whoa!
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4/20/2007 - theeb wrote: 98 Points
Unvergesslich: Frucht, Würze, Erde, langer Abgang, ungeahnt komplex. Himmlisch.
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4/11/2007 - MNP wrote: 95 Points
Really showing great after some air. Deep dark color, gobs of ripe red and black fruit, nice balance, long finish. Better than the last bottle from the same lot enjoyed six months ago.
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3/31/2007 - 82bordeaux wrote: 93 Points
Cean balck fruit on the nose along with a little heat. Deep brambleberry flavors. Very primary. A bit of alcohol lingering on the palate. Moderate length on the finish. Not showing as much earth as I prefer. Not in the same league overall as the 2003 Pegau Reservee. Very much a solid wine though.
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3/24/2007 - bkrug wrote: 92 Points
Very Australia briarery or Zinfacndel like notes predominate. Very alcoholic. Ready-but could easily use more time. Disappointing.
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3/15/2007 - Wineosseur wrote: 93 Points
Starting to settle down a bit, but still very primary. Shows hints of earth and complexity with air, but this will be much better with 5-10 years of age.
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2/17/2007 - win wrote: 93 Points
Very fresh, and vibrant. Had alongside an 03 Pegau and 01 La Nerthe, and this was the favorite.
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2/9/2007 - Pacherant wrote: 91 Points
Drank at Syrah tasting with Alan, Eden etc. Light coloured with bright cherry, berry andcandy nose and first flavors. As the night went on it added weight, but didn't have the funk and savory depth of most CNdP's... lots of pepper on the palate and raisins, but not overly heated or alcoholic to my taste. Frankly, I think this is just too young to drink this as once all these elements have settled more it could be a really interesting bottle of wine. Could score lots more in the future, but I don't have the experience to know which way this will go.
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2/8/2007 - DFC wrote: 93 Points
On the nose, very young, slightly raisaned red fruit. On the palate, utterly primary and loaded with plums and dark cherries.
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2/8/2007 - ScottG wrote: 91 Points
2003 Chateauneuf at Le Pichet- moving on up the food chain. (Le Pichet, Seattle, WA): Big fruit bomb. A bit candied sweet for me. I didn't get any roast or raisin like i did last time, but lots of raspberry but in too confectionary delivery. Would have been a much nicer wine if not for that aspect and a touch of heat on the finish. This either loses the candy or it loses it's place in my cellar as that is not my style- but overall it is not a flawed wine.
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12/25/2006 - mimik wrote: 92 Points
This was probably way too young to open. Decanted for 4 hours for X-Mas dinner. The nose was somewhat expressive with red berries, figs and spices. More fig and spices on the wonderfully pure palate. Long finish. 92 points for now. This has the structure and complexity to be great in time.
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12/10/2006 - vy#10 wrote:
Over the top for my tastes. Hot, alcoholic. I know this is a polarizing wine ... I'm on the negative side.
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11/4/2006 - trankin wrote: 95 Points
EOTC Highly Rated Tasting (Ann & Thomas'): Blind. Bright red in color. Nose of grenache (yes I mean that) and white pepper. Very elegant, beautifully balanced wine. Licorice notes but not too sweet. White, black, and red peppers. Raspberries. Definitely an old wolrd wine. Needs time. My guess: my ringer - 03 Clos des Papes. WA97/WS97
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11/3/2006 - winefool wrote: 92 Points
Dinner with He Who Must Not Be Named (Jim Clary's): For some reason this wine didn't show as well as the one I had last month. Nice enought, but nothing compelling.
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10/29/2006 - jdtonic wrote: 93 Points
Ruby color. Big nose of raspberry, damp hay, sour cherries, and some toasted oak. Very hot, and tannic in the pour-off. Too young, I thought, and I opened a '98 Donjon, knowing instantly that the '03 Clos d Papes would need at least six hours to show up..(I wish that I had read the notes here earlier for this wine). The 1998 is, today at least, a full fat level above the '03 Clos in taste, texture, and concentration (as expected).
I returned five hours later to the open bottle: The nose had fleshed out noticeably: sweeter cherry, big raspberry, hints of cinnamon brush, smoke, and dirty wood...my guests were high inexperienced lushes, smoking, and dirty birds...Before I found my glass, someone asked me what kind of pinot we were drinking, and I had to work to get the pepper notes, (green and red), and hints of kirsch to correct her with any conviction. I also found vanilla bean, and meaty peat.
The wine was medium bodied, and felt a little overpriced on the mid-palate. I made a mental note to sell my second bottle if I couldn't keep it cellared for at least three more years. The finish was thirty seconds or so, and the last sip was the best. It occured to me that this wine was more 2001 that 2003 later on in the morni ng. Hold.
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10/24/2006 - Jack wrote:
Day - 1 Some initial spritz blows off after 20 minutes. A toasted (not quite burnt flavor) seems to also subside after an hour of air. Good balance. Earth, spice and fruit with good acid and tannic structure. Needs time to develop. Day 2 - Some heat that overshadows the fruit. Hmmm...drinkable but not very impressive. Day 3 - Heat is gone. Still not overly impressive. Maybe 88 points? Day 4 =- Best of all by far. Gives me some hope that it will come around with some age.
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10/21/2006 - winefool wrote: 94 Points
WS California Wine Experience Top Ten Tasting (San Francisco Marriott): Full bright red. Big bold sour cherry and spice aroma. Nice big spicy red and black cherry and spice on a firm tannic frame. Good acidity and a long finish.
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10/5/2006 - noppakit s. wrote: 88 Points
Because of Wine Spectator!!!
and This is my favorite CNDP so I decided to test it young.
From half bottle and decanted but still close, warm, heavy and dry.
I wonder...how can it get a highest nominated...who tasted it ?
ps. maybe it's better or gettin' good in the future but not now...I'll get 2 of double magnum 2005 from my shop too and hope it gonna be great.
Is it No.1 Wine Spectator this year ?
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9/30/2006 - Ibetian wrote: 91 Points
I was a bit disappointed in this wine for a Parker 97 pointer. Light ruby color. Double-decanted two hours before dinner and lightly chilled to about 60 - 65 degrees. Still early to drink this, nose took some coaxing, but then moderately complex, classic Grenache nose. A very good wine, but I was expecting greatness. I'll let my other bottles rest at least 2 years before I try another.
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9/1/2006 - beachnic wrote: 88 Points
Come on people this is not a great CDP. This bottle was closed down and uninteresting to say the least. poured a bunch of it down the drain. What a %*%$waste of money. The 2003 Pegau is better albeit a bit tannic at this stage. At least it tasted and smelled like a CNP. Not impressed with the nose or concentration of this wine.
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8/26/2006 - VinoRico wrote: 96 Points
Drank after a '95 Rioja and a '02 Shiraz (Aussie) both of superb quality. The half bottle of CdP strung such a wonderful cord. A bit of the earthyness of due to following the Shiraz but the fruit stood out. Amazing red and dark berry flavors in countless layers.
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8/15/2006 - br wrote:
ruby red. 1st whiff smelled of pure raspberry juice. opened up to candied cherries, lots of alcohol on the nose!, a bit of a burnt fruit aroma, garrigue and darker fruit as it continued to get air (1.5 hrs.). Initial taste seemed very one dimensional w. lots of heat. opened to more typical Rhone flavors but the alchohol still seemed to override the flavors. I don't love this, nor do I hate it and I'm not sure that I can discern what all the fuss is over. After a few hours, this showed mostly alcohol and bitter taste.
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8/13/2006 - DCornutt wrote: 95 Points
Tasted at 57 degrees F from my cellar.
Nice nose of kirsh and spice. No alcoholic heat on the nose or overripe fruit at this temperature.
Very young and primary.
The palate is very dense and shows almost exclusively primary kirsh cherry type of notes with some elements
of earthiness. Great finish that goes on for some time.
At this temperature, the wine is excellent but very very young. It will improve hopefully so that my score will
seem quite conservative.
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8/9/2006 - KPB wrote: 87 Points
Pale ruby. [Day 1] Disjointed nose of overripe fruit, walnuts, cotton candy, robotusin cough syrup. On the palate, hot with aggressive fruit but a distinctively scorched or burnt note. Really disjointed and with little hope for pulling itself together. Basically a wine already heading downhill with no future. A shame that I have 4 more of these; I may unload them at auction (very rare for me). [Day 2]. The wine has improved a little in the bottle overnight. Still comes off as a clumsy, heavy, hot brew, but a bit less disjointed. Still, I don't think I'll change my score, and I'm still inclined to unload the 4 I have left.
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8/3/2006 - VinoRico wrote: 96 Points
Terroir. Layers of every red berry, meat and earth, hints of cola and mocha. Texture of and tannin structure of textbook CdP.
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7/20/2006 - futronic wrote: 92 Points
TWC Offline w/ pyang: Light-medium ruby colour. Armas of fruit punch, eucalyptus, kirsch, herbs, currant, brown sugar, and red licorice. Medium-full bodied, with alcohol, cherry, kirsch, spice. Moderate finish, 35s, with black fruit, pepper, spice, and kirsch. Needs time.
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7/5/2006 - Deaks wrote: 92 Points
My 3rd bottle and I can see why this is getting some mixed reviews. For me the nose is dominated by essence of raisin which I guess you either love or not - whats most interesting is how few of the tasting notes mention this raisin element. I can't beleive it is bottle variation as mine have been from 2 different sources so must just be me! Anyway otherwise a well balanced wine that is very easy to drink at this early stage. Will be interesting to see how the flavour profile progresses over the years.
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7/2/2006 - Moorese wrote: 96 Points
TN: 2003 Pegau Reservee vs. 2003 Clos des Papes - Dinner with Missy and Peter Igel
Each bottle was popped 3 hours in advance, left to rest in the cellar at 55 for 2 hours, and allowed to warm to 64 over the final hour. We spent about 2 hours consuming these bottles while leisurely conducting a salmon taste-off, if you will, between the Copper River and the Yukon River (with bites of Halibut cheek glazed with maple butter and gorgonzola as a palate cleanser)! Granted, both bottles have the guts to take a long trip downstairs, but damn if they both aren't delicious young. My tasting notes for both are rather similar. Each possesses a dense purple robe, but I found the Pegau to be a bit more inky. Each also showed the nose best as the bottles were unfortunately being drained. The wines showed common notes of kirsch, warm berries, fennel/licorice, tea leaves, and some damn incense that I associate with nights when my parents listened to Grand Funk Railroad, but the Pegau came across as sweeter and more driven by the black jelly bean component, while the Clos des Papes showed much more Herbs du Provence. While both wines are thick, rich, oily, and powerful, side by side the Pegau was that much more unctuous and heavy with almost brooding fruit. For my tastes, both these CdP are fantastic, but on this Saturday, the Clos des Papes had a liveliness and lightness to it (alongside its power) that the Pegau didn't have. As the wines warmed to 66, the Pegau revealed a heaviness and booziness to it that the Clos des Papes didn't show.
On this night at least, Clos des Papes 96, Pegau 94.
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6/17/2006 - sivilli wrote:
Was in the mood for some great wine, opened this with a little trepidation. I have had a couple of 2003 cdps that have shown really bad: roasted fruit, hard green tannin, high alcohol. I have heard reports of the same with this wine. Pouring straight into the decanter, I immediately smell for that burnt, roasted fruit... none! I pour a small glass... freaking intense!!! Dried herbs, iron, sweet cherry.. wonderful nose. On the palate, this is rich, concentrated and wonderful... tastes like the essence of grenache! I love this wine, and will have to seek out more, one of the best wines I have had this year. Usually I find most critics too generous and too score happy. Definately not here, this is amazing wine. Believe the hype.
Since there seems to be a lot of bottle variation, I note that this wine was sourced from Premier Cru and was delivered to me 1/26.
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6/11/2006 - ChillyWino wrote: 89 Points
Fruit, kirsh and not all that complex. 88 points. After tasting with food I upgraded it to 88-90 as it seemed to be showing more, but this one left me confused. Votes - 0,2,3.
Tasted at Minneapolis Rhone tasting.
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6/9/2006 - Wrighty wrote: 92 Points
Mystery wine night (Crown Wine Cellars, Hong Kong): Dark deep red purple, looked almost black in the decanter and what a nose - not at all settled. Initially earth, peat and moss, this gave way to stewed blackberry and apples and a little heat but not as much as expected, then lavendar. Clean structure than a whack of oak and acidity with a long tannic finish. More heat came through later in the evening along with dark caramel toffee nose.
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5/27/2006 - stephen locke wrote:
Wanted to see what all the fuss is about. Opened early in the day to try as the day went on so to see how it developed.
Deep red no bricking - very intense colour. First off closed nose but lots of fruit and tannin noticeable on palate. Then splash decanted.
Later more red fruit on the nose and more red and black fruit to taste. But big dry tannins
Later still (8hrs) more of everything on the nose including earth and herbs and some chocolate. Palate shows powerful concentrated fruit now starting to balance those dry tannins.
Overall an intense concentrated Clos des Papes that with time will be a lovely wine. However not stand out better than 2001 or '99 to me at this stage.- I expect my palate isn't sensitive enough to differentiate between very good and excellent wines.
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5/23/2006 - Burgundy Al wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at David Burke's Primehouse (Chicago IL): Decanted 6 hours before tasting. Luxurious and intense blackberry and blueberry. Lots of black pepper and some licorice. Very long and powerful with firm tannins. Hold to after 2010, and I'd expect this to drink well for decades.
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5/6/2006 - vinaigre wrote: 94 Points
Nice bright ruby color, with a bit on violet on the edges, this had a wonderfull nose of berries, like a mixed basket from the market, and spices. Smooth mouth of tannins, a bit acidic (But not unpleasant: For the long haul) velvety mocka and berry flavors, bit of spice also. With a persisting finish of fruits again. Slightly drying tannins at the end.
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4/23/2006 - pgm wrote: 95 Points
Once again outstanding. Restaurant bottle decanted through first courses and champagne. Still not the stunning floral nose of the (96+) bottle last fall, but there is lavender and violet tonight. Most notable is nice herbal character, what seemed tonight more like alfalfa hay than garrigue, over the plum, prune, and berry compote, with earthy CdP tannins. It grew richer in the glass over time.
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4/21/2006 - jrufusj wrote:
TTG#7: Hamina Comes to Town (and we all drink good wine) (Keyaki Grill at Capital Tokyu; La Fève Wine Bar (Tokyo)): Has a hugely viscous appearance. Smaller and perhaps a bit simpler than the last time I had it (nine months or so before). I criticized it then for size and overripeness, but it still showed Châteauneuf character then. Again, despite the bit of brown sugar and some surprising green leafiness, this is still very much CdP, just at a high-decibel level.
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4/15/2006 - pakabear wrote: 96 Points
Amazing jammy nose, almost to a fault!
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4/14/2006 - Dubliner wrote: 89 Points
This wine is remarkably inconsistent. Poured without decanting revealed a nose of blackberry and cherry. Loads of glycerin and a deep ruby red color. On the palate it revealed some subdued fruit but with a hint of unattractive phenols. It was surprisingly clipped on the mid-palate and unsatisfying on the finish. Even with the passage of three hours in the bottle there was surprisingly little evolution. Definitely not up to the level of the last bottle I had, or some recent tastings. Perhaps decanting would have helped, but the positive comments I've seen recently didn't mention this. Strange.
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4/12/2006 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
Passover seder (Seattle, WA): Wow, yet another note, yet another stunner. I finished up a long couple of days of cooking for Passover seder and just needed something special to curl up with once I finished cooking and cleaning. Wow, this is just so pure and explosive, a huge Grenache bomb. Loads of cherry greet you at first, and this wine seems to be tightening up and become more elegant and well defined than it was just 9 months ago. With 15 minutes this really starts to pop with loads of dried herbs and white pepper. Very powerful and intense, almost a little too brash and intense right now, as this does show a bit of raspiness.
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4/9/2006 - Vidmantas M. wrote:
Suprising light on first sight.
Very alcholic 14.5% !
Not ready, tannins obvious and iunintegratd flavours?
Pleasant roasted berry flavour with complex overtones
Needs more time to evolve
Dringing, but leave for 1/2 years at least IMO
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4/6/2006 - KPB wrote:
Took this bottle to the "red pig" wine tasting. It wasn't showing at its best; a few hours open might have helped. With about an hour open, just sitting on the table, the wine seemed disjointed and the tannins were a little too prominent. That roasted aroma was also rather noticable. Call it an 89 point "experience" even though I would still view this as a 94 point wine.
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3/31/2006 - Buyer and cellar wrote: 97 Points
What can be said that hasn't already been written about this wine. I love it when good bottles actually live up to the hype and this one is freaky good. Deep maroon in color. Blood, anise and spicy fruit on the nose. Super tight tannins numb the tongue and take hold giving way to licorice, coarse pepper, mushrooms, a hint of menthol and dark fruit. 45 seconds + of power! Heavy mouth feel and the overwhelming feeling that this monster was created by Dr. Frankenstein himself. Looking forward to enjoying this in a few years when it starts to mellow a notch. 97 points easily.
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3/21/2006 - markellen.foodies@gmail.com wrote: 94 Points
2nd day in Paree(out of 5) At great lunch at Meurice. Luncheon Menu is a bargain at E75. Wine is overpriced all over Paris. 1/2 bottle 92 Euros.Oh, well we only live once. Wine is spectacular for such a young CdP.
Floral frais de bois bouquet,light ruby color, great light CdP flavors, good but not extended finish.
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2/11/2006 - gorm wrote: 94 Points
Dark. Nice and spicy nose with great sweetness, cherries and raspberries. A Big nose. Very seducing and nice body. Balanced and fruit-dominated. Aftertaste keeps going on and on, but perhaps a bit too straight... Tasted blind. Burgundy tasting 11/02/2006.
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2/6/2006 - KPB wrote:
After all the hype, the actual wine was sort of an anticlimax!
Saturated dark ruby. Rich nose of sweet ripe fruit (raspberries, plums), creme de cassis, hint of straw, provincal spices. Maybe tapenade? On the palate, extracted, intense fruit -- deep and sweet, but with a slightly jarring note of surmaturite -- roasted tomatoes, perhaps, or some other form of over-the-edge fruit. Good now; I would consume this on the young side. Best with assertive foods. Originally I gave this a score in excess of 90 points. But subsequent tastings have disturbed me; the wine seems more and more disjointed and the jarring note is increasingly dominent. So I'm taking the numeric score off -- I wish I could retaste this today. I have no idea if the bottle was better than the later ones, or if I was over generous, or if evolution of the wine has simply been rapid (and damaging)
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2/3/2006 - GreenDrazi wrote: 93 Points
TCF February 2006 Off-Line (Napa - Powell's): Bottle decanted 2 ½ hrs before my first sip. Good, complex floral nose. This was very tight and not wanting to reveal much no matter how long in the glass, nor when I returned to visit it a few times. Flavors of blueberry and some cherry with white pepper, hints of violet and game along with a touch of smoke. Good consistent palate with abundant acidity and very light tannins, but could use some weight.
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1/29/2006 - pgm wrote: 93 Points
The first time we had this wine in September 2005, it was an absolute stunner, a really great wine (definitely 96+). Tonight, it was off that mark, but still outstanding, showing plums, berries, raisin and spice, with faintly floral aromas. It seemed to show more alcohol tonight too. Looking forward to its further evolution.
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1/15/2006 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Nice showing with minerals, floral, spice and red fruits. Medium finish and young.
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1/15/2006 - Dave Dalluge wrote:
Tasted beside the 1995. Very interesting to compare these. The 2003 is not showing well at this point, but it will be very interesting to try it again in 5-10 years.
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1/15/2006 - Ben Andersen wrote:
Minneapolis Dinner and Tasting - Chateauneuf, Bordeaux, and Burgundy (mainly) (J.P.'s in Minneapolis): Same bottle as Siggy's TN... I won't go into too much detail, due to the rather lengthy TN and rambling discussion I archived earlier this month (see TN). Suffice it to say, this was a consistent experience, where the wine was perhaps even more expressive immediately upon pouring. Tasting it next the '95 Clos des Papes (see TN) this time around proved to be an enlightening experience, and I now feel like I have a better idea what this wine is all about - and where it's headed. Excellent. Thanks, Craig!
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1/15/2006 - Siggy wrote: 94 Points
Tasting Group Dinner - Old World Wines (JP's American Bistro, Minneapolis): This was controversial (no surprise), yet I thought it was much less freakish and better integrated than the bottle I opened a few months ago. White pepper, bacon, and cherry liquor. I felt like I understood this wine better after tasting it side-by-side with the 1995. Still has miles to go. 94+? points.
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1/6/2006 - Ben Andersen wrote:
Initially, slightly closed nose that, with vigorous swirling, reveals confit of red fruit, notes of raisins, cocoa and spicebox - cloves and cinnamon. I'm not calling the wine "raisiny" overall, but there is a certain sweet rasin element which I rather enjoy. That element is more than balanced by the pure, ripe red cherry fruit. There's also a touch of alcohol to the aroma, which I would guess will be completely buried under the inevitable secondary / tertiary elements, as they evolve. This wine is a baby. When the second glass was poured, the fruit seemed brighter and more intense, and the aromas lept from the glass, rather than requiring some coaxing. Wow. This is gorgeous stuff. I would still call this wine rather old-school in style, and in no way would I place this in the "modern" camp. This is a structured, powerful, concentrated but not necessarily super-extracted wine. It's well made - not be be confused with "modern"... and, finally, its balance is amazing. It's broad and lingering on the palate, finishing with seemingly equal parts of both dry, dusty tannins and ripe fruit. I think this will evolve beautifully into a classically styled Chateauneuf, leaving people scratching their heads over the fact that the typicity of this wine was ever so hotly debated. For me, stylistically, it seems to come close to the 2000 Mon Aieul from Pierre Usseglio, but I really need to try that wine again to say for sure. Note: IMO, this wine, like most, will show best if drunk under the appropriate conditions, and a warm temperature could be quite unflattering. In the case of this bottle, it was 61 degrees. This was a bottle from a DC retailer that arrived in early Sept.
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1/3/2006 - Eric wrote: 98 Points
Flanken and Châteauneuf-du-Pape!!! (Seattle, WA): Tasted from 375ml. Wow, this was the best bottle of this I have tasted yet in 6 tries now. I simply cannot understand how people can call this roasted or raisined. It is some of the most exotic, spicy, complex, intense yet gloriously lithe Grenache I have ever tasted. The wine had a little alcohol showing on the nose when we first popped it, but this was quickly integrated. Loads of white pepper, cherries, licorice, and spicebox explode from the glass. In the mouth this stuff is breathtaking, as it literally fills every last corner of your mouth with flavors that build in intensity, loads of fresh cherry, pine more pepper, the whole spicebox is in there. Yet there is just no heaviness to this wine, and rather it finishes out gorgeously dry, youthfully tannic, yet so in balance. I am really, really a big fan of this wine!
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12/16/2005 - AndrewSGHall wrote:
Dinner @ Phil and Jen's: Cheap kirsch on the nose, touch of yeastiness. Blossomed with some time into rich and roasty fruit. Very blowsy across the palate. Low acid, strong fruit, heat. Some aromatics and minty notes. Lack of precision downgrades this for me.
Next evening, very disjointed and messy. Nose has picked up some earth and funk though which bodes well. We'll see what happens.
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12/16/2005 - psmith wrote: 91 Points
Dinner with Andrew and Elena (Columbus, OH): Cherry liqueur on the nose, where it comes across as quite robust and shows some alcohol. Darker, black cherry notes on the palate. It does remind me a lot of a Clarendon Hills grenache. Focused and clean if a bit monolithic. Fine tannins, low acid, and some overt heat. Tasty.
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12/9/2005 - DesMarteau wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 4 hours. Very complex nose. Floral, fruity. Clear, light amber color. Bursts with fruit flavors...very complex tropical fruit flavors that change with each sip. Strange...but apple, Kiwi, lychee (yes...lychee), pears, black current backdrop. Floral flavors into a 30 second finsh...no real tannins to speak of. Great mouth feel. Light, fluid, integrated, constantly changing. Like drinking light liquid fireworks.
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12/1/2005 - tawd wrote: 92 Points
Tasted blind with many grenache based wines... Light red - cherry berry w/ very light tobacco nose. Mild spritz at first taste - mouth is initially disappointing, but fleshes out w/ roses & tomato(?). Outstanding nose.... tasted with the 2001 & was completely different.
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11/29/2005 - ERoss wrote: 90 Points
Best of the Best Wine Class, Fall 05 (Farmington Community & Senior Center, Unionville, CT): Here we go again…this seemed even more the out-of-control roller-coaster ride of a wine than when I'd had it before, although following the 99 Margaux probably didn't help. Color was medium weight garnet, belying the intense nose to follow. Notes of soy sauce, strawberry jam, raisins, butterscotch, and concentrated orange peel burst from the glass, some aspects of which were reminiscent of a PX Sherry. In the mouth were sweet red fruit and briary flavors, followed by a slightly hot and clipped tannic finish. There's certainly a lot going on here, but I'm curious if 10+ years of age will bring things around in more balance and build more textural complexity.
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11/15/2005 - burningstarIV wrote: 92 Points
375 ml bottle. Thinner in color saturation than expected, but still dark purple. The nose on this was intriguing on both day one and day two, with lots of primary berries as well as smoky meat, sage and anise. When first opened, the wine was hot and had some biting tannins, but there was plenty of red and purple fruit and a finish that, while dominated by alcohol, showed a ton of complexity. By day two the wine had sorted itself out a bit and was showing softer and more balanced, if slightly less large, in the mouth. 50+4+14+16+8=92
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11/7/2005 - Winefrog wrote:
375ml bottle opened & 1 glass immediately sampled without food; remainder decanted for later sampling. Rich ruby color. Licorice & cassis on the nose, with a hint of cinnamon. Palate very strong up front, with very ripe dark fruits & strong tannins tightly wound with some acidity, a bit hot (alcohol). Not at all ready at first!! 2 hours later, nose showing more clove & nutmeg. Palate has softened a bit, but still fairly vigorous tannins seem out of balance, still a bit hot. Still not very much to my taste yet (food would help?). After 3 hours, tannins still positively tooth-coating. Palate not coming together. I conclude that this needs years to resolve, or MUCH more time in decanter to develop. Reserved a small amount to taste tomorrow, but I don't hold out much hope at this point for the near term. P.S. - 24 hours later it has not improved appreciably to me. Tannins still over-dominant, with lots of ripe dark fruits on the palate and spices in the nose.
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11/6/2005 - Will wrote:
Opened around 10am, what striked me was the incredible purity of fruit on the nose (red fruits, esp. cherries). The nose was also very deep. The palate wasn't fully developed but no tannic or heat bite and the finish was very long. A few hours later (not decanted) with lunch it was showing very well with clear raisiny aromas on the palate that reminded me a bit of the aromas of the Amarone drunk the night before. Although powerful it was also elegant with perceptible tannins but that didn't get in the way of the enjoyment of the wine. The only downside was the slight heat on the finish, and the fact that the wine is not yet as complex as it will be in due course. I tried what was left in the bottle on the following but the wine showed quite differently, more tannic and slightly disjointed.
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11/6/2005 - ChillyWino wrote:
Opened this one at about 4:30 and poured a small taste. Typical Grenache nose and slightly acidic. We came back to this again around 6:30 and was not showing much. Finally around 9:30 we poured a glass for everyone. Typical granache, along with a gamey smell, light fruits(strawberry and basberry?), and rasins. I fairly full bodied wine, but with noticable acid. The alcohol was not noticable. Not real sure what to make of this one.
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11/5/2005 - repoper wrote:
1:30 in the afternoon. After having received the wine which I bought, I just had to open one to see what all the excitement is about. No decanting - in the glass a strong nose of grenache fumes. As it settled, I detected cherries, red berries and chinese tea? (never had that before) and smoke. The tannins were present but not overwhelming. As the wine sat over the cource of the afternoon it kept evolving and developing more nuances. When we finally finished it at dinner, with roast duck, it was just unbelieveable how such a young wine could be drinking so well. This should be really great as it evolves and becomes a mature then older wine. I kept about 1/4 glass out on the table as the evening unfolded. The wine changed completely. The longer it sat the more tanic it became. Around 8:00 pm my wife remarked that it had turned into a tanic mess. I finished it at 9:00 and it had shut down and displayed none of the charasterics which it had when we first opened it.
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10/31/2005 - Saint Stephen wrote: 92 Points
We'll see where this one goes. Drank at the Bottle of Angst dinner alongside many wines so probably not a fair environment to accurately evaluate any wine. On first opening this had a bit of an offputting nose of burnt rubber and/or ashtray. That mostly subsided after a couple hours of decanting. There was a lot to like there and I'm probably a bit overly critical since I bought a good amount of this wine before tasting it - but at the time I gravitated to the slightly off notes in the wine - which I'm hoping will come together with time. Otherwise, big wine with great intensity if a little spirity.
Probably wouldn't open another until at least 2008, preferably 2010.
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10/29/2005 - ERoss wrote: 92 Points
Bottle of Angst, Volume I (Older Bordeaux and More) (Chateau Guerette): [Decanted 3(?) hours]. Whatever you think about this wine, it will certainly generate intense opinions. Black-red and totally opaque, this essence of Grenache oozes aromas of black cherry, candied pomegranate, anise, and caramelized oak. With a slightly reduced quality, the high alcohol was noticeable, without being hot. Thick, rich textured and powerful with plenty of tannins, this actually paired nicely with the assertively spiced skewers.
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10/29/2005 - Siggy wrote:
I was intrigued and perplexed by this wine. It has the potential to be absolutely profound, but I just don't have the experience to know what to make of it or to predict how it will unfold. Single decanted. Medium-deep maroon color, with a beast of a nose that alternated between lush and completely shut down. Constantly evolving in the glass: first it tasted like a Zinfandel, then the Granache character started to unfold, then it began to exhibit a Port-like character. White pepper, kirsch, licorice, bitter chocolate, raisin, and a million other tightly wound flavors. Fairly high acid and extract, medium body, did not come across as hot or tannic. Barely budged after 3 hours in the decanter. Revisit in at least 5, ideally 10+, years.
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10/29/2005 - tawd wrote: 96 Points
Very pretty wine, good acidity... killer nose. Fun to see this one evolve.
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10/17/2005 - claudio_bxl wrote:
Chateauneuf 2003 tasting in Antwerp- Organised by Michel Vlyminck (Pazzo restaurant - Antwerp - Belgium): More dilluted than the previous wine (not difficult to get there) This wine features aromas of sour cherries, licorice and has some rustic elements. I personally did not find the nose very appealing. In the mouth it has good structure and mid palate with again a rustic touch and medium lenght with a hint of eucalyptus in the finish. The wine evolves quite a bit after aeration and probably needs quite a bit of decanting in order to express its full power.
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10/17/2005 - Hammer wrote: 97 Points
With so much controversy surrounding this wine, I had to crack one open to judge it for myself. Regrettably, I didn't have the time to decant the bottle. As the wine was being poured into the glass, I could smell the pure grenache nose of kirsch and a hint garrigue. The color is darker than any other Clos des Papes I've had before. In the mouth, the fruit is very powerful, pure and clean. It offers up a copious amount of dark raspberries with a nice acidic backbone and sweet tannins. The label states 14% alcohol, I thought it was higher, as it clearly finishes hot with a slight burnt aftertaste, indicating the hot weather in 2003. After about 90 minutes of air, it took on a more complex and calmer profile showing more herbs and spices, with less heat on the finish. Overall, a fantastic wine that will develop wonderfully, given the huge amount of fruit that's overshowing the tannins. I'm just curious as to how the slightly burnt finish will evolve as it ages...
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10/12/2005 - mdefreitas wrote: 93 Points
Medium red. Deep ripe black cherry liquor. Glyceral and rich on the palate with a bit of heat on the finish. Almost Zin like in it's ripeness. Super-ripe but not roasted. Long, silky finished. Decanted 4 hours.
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10/7/2005 - MBannon wrote: 93 Points
03 Chateauneuf-du-Pape (Liner & Elsen, Portland OR): Very smooth, with lots of plush fruit and dusty tannins. Yummy now and will undoubtedly improve.
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10/2/2005 - bevort wrote:
Initially minerals and metal in the nose and seems every minut hereafter it opens up and changes in the nose. But we basically opened it too late in the evening and I didnt feel like it ever came around to be able to judge it. After two hours I honestly had some serious debate with myselves to what the fuss is about. It is without a doubt good, but having it up against the Mon Aïeul 01 it didnt come through for me.
Returning to it Sunday morning. There is still very little in the nose but its now smooth and soft, warm taste with lots of herbs, pebber and raisins. But Im still standing there waiting for more. It just doesnt happen to me.
Im not too sure but seemed closed./steen
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9/30/2005 - Dteng wrote:
Opened this last night. I can see the controversy, and for the first time I am on the disappointed side of things. I can usually calibrate my palate to RP and many other BB members.
This is hot and super ripe. I won't say it is over the top, but close. Somewhat disjointed with no harmony. It has stuffing and a superlong finish, but the entry and midpalate seemed reticent and mildly hollow. The midpalate did fill out after 2 hours, but, if I can predict, I cannot see an upper 90's rating for this wine in the future. I will open one more later in the year. If it is still Zin-like, I will sell and get more 01 Beau.
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9/26/2005 - PaulH wrote: 91 Points
Very young and primary. Very ripe, low acid, and tannic. Super extraction. Still, somehow I wasn't blown away; not enough balancing acid for me. The Beaurenard-Boisrenard tasted the same evening was MUCH better.
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9/21/2005 - Wineosseur wrote: 93 Points
From 375. I can see how this wine is controversial as it so ripe and rich it approaches a new world feel. I can see how some call it zin-like, though I find it more CdP-very ripe CdP! The fruit overpowers everything else for me at the moment, but there are hints of complexity (herbs, spice) underneath the wall of fruit. Lush mouthfeel and a slight bit of heat on the finish as the wine warms in the glass. I think this will age into a beauty, but the critics will have their say for at least 5 years.
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9/20/2005 - jwwinec wrote:
Again excellent. For me, this wine shows its greatness not with intensity of fruit or other flavors (although it certainly has those), but with sheer richness and size on the palate.
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9/9/2005 - jrufusj wrote:
Tokyo Offline Group Inaugural (French Mixed Bag) (Cuisine 219): Wow! Deep, deep colour, but not quite inky or murky. Started with that low-toned funky Grenache smell, overlaid with a little strawberry and raspberry and very ripe darker fruit and spice. There's garrique here too. Palate shows big tannins, but so much fruit that the tannins just slip on by. Palate is much more ripe dark fruit, maybe a little roast/raisin, but less than I had feared. I get very little of the heat that others have noted (but, unlike Oliver, did not revisit after the claret). A lot of fun to drink, but I can't figure out what I would drink it with, other than a rare "steak as big as your head". Overwhelmed the lamb chops. Didn't find the acid spine to make me think this will evolve over the long-term into the kind of wine I like to drink, but you could hide an elephant's worth of acid under the tannin and fruit at this stage. Has the roasted, ripe notes of 2003 that are not really for me, but I was really impressed at how clearly this wine still spoke of Chateauneuf, just in an outsized way. (Thanks Michael)
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9/9/2005 - Jason wrote: 96 Points
After all the fuss, I had to try one. Eric was kind enough to let me have one of his halfs, so after 24 hours of rest :) I opened one. In short it is everything that everyone has said. It is very , very ripe. Far lusher than most CdPs. Loaded with fruit and structure. And a touch hot. With time in the decanter the heat did subside. The nose shows crushed black berries with some roasted notes. I can understand why some got Zin elements from the nose. The palate is very lush with plenty of structure that currently is hiding behind the fruit. I also get an earthy herbal element that screams CdP. On the finish I get the sense of how much structure is there. Even with air I continue to get some heat on the finish. Let' s call it 93-96.
After another 2 hours of air (3 total), this wine has really reached a new level. The nose is now far more CdP like with loads of garrigue. The most impressive change, however, is the palate. While still massive, it is now completely seamless. I have only have a handful of young wines that offer this level of velvety smoothness. The finish has now calmed a bit. I don't get any heat, but it still is impressively long. The structure is equally massive, so with some cellar time this will be truly awesome. Let me upgrade my score to 95-97.
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8/20/2005 - Dubliner wrote: 94 Points
Drank one to see what the fuss is. Pretty good once it had a half hour or so to breathe.
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8/18/2005 - jwwinec wrote: 96 Points
Seeing everyone else (mostly Eric) enjoying this so much, I just had to pull the cork on one.... And it is superb right now! For me, it took about an hour of air before it really got rolling. Even though it is big and powerful, it comes off as very elegant compared to many other 2003 CdPs. The tannins are assertive, yet well intergrated, fine, and sweet. The wine's richness sings on the palate and lingers long into the finish, hinting at the complexity that (I hope and expect) will unfold with some cellar time. It will be hard not to drink more of these soon...
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8/18/2005 - ScottG wrote: 94 Points
Night one just poured a small glass, corked the remainder and tossed it back in the cellar. Big CdP- A bit of alcohol on the nose, jammy, spicy, a touch of raisin. Lots of tannin. At this point it comes off a touch over-ripe but we shall see what comes tomorrow night.
Night two: Holy raspberry jam Batman! Alcohol is mostly integrated. Very enjoyable with a big ole T-Bone off the grill and Gruyere Potato Gratin (damn I am a good cook). Holy Tannins Batman! This is a big structured wine. At this point it still touches the overripe spectrum so I have to limit it to a 94. Definitely not something I want to see again until it has a good milimeter of dust on the bottle.
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8/11/2005 - Eric wrote:
Pre-Parker warmup dinner at Citronelle... (Georgetown, USA): We revisited this after dinner. Wow, I can't believe how much this opened in a few hours. This is simply unreal and deep, a testament to the vintage. Lovely as it is, the 2001 seems like a lightweight by comparison to this beast!
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8/11/2005 - Eric wrote:
Pre-Parker warmup dinner at Citronelle... (Georgetown, USA): OMFG, this wine just does not quit. I need to stop with this already (my third bottle in a week, hoohah!!!). Raspberry jam and some heat moving to white pepper, deeply tannic, wow, what structure! The extraction, intensity and depth relative to the 2001 are just dramatically deeper. Wow!
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8/8/2005 - Eric wrote: 95 Points
Dinner at Cru (New York, NY): When we first popped the 375ml there was indeed some heat on the nose, but within 5 minutes this was integrated. The nose is dusky, almost forbidding with some hints of leather but not giving away much right now. The palate was initially sweeter than I recall with intense, almost jammy raspberry. However, after 10 minutes the spicey, dried herbs and white pepper are exploding in the mouth. This is very tannic, but the fruit and extract already make it surpisingly approachable. Wow, this is lovely albeit much more monolithic than the 375ml the other evening (which I sipped at slowly from a decanter for 3+ hours). I let the glass sit for an hour and if anything the wine shut down a fair bit but did show lovely elegance and balance. This stuff is the real deal. I need to hide more of my bottles away and soon!
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8/7/2005 - drwine2001 wrote:
Curious to try given so much recent hype. Medium ruby color, actually quite light for young Chateauneuf. Nothing but alcohol on the nose, unpleasantly hot on the palate. Some fruit and spice emerge over time, but this honestly burns, and the finish is terribly clipped due to the alcohol rather than the moderate tannins. Brings back bad memories of out of balance monster Zinfandels. Many more similarities with other '03s that I've tried than with other vintages of Clos des Papes. I'm not systematic enough to score wines, but I am truly perplexed trying to reconcile the reality of this bottle with the degree of enthusiasm seen in published notes. To wit, how could this wine be selling for at least 50% more than the terrific '01?
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8/4/2005 - Eric wrote: 97 Points
Tasted from 375ml which I nicknamed as a 'Pape-let'. Oh my, this was lovely and extremely reminiscent of the 2003 Pegau I tasted from fermenter last July. The nose is loaded with soaring notes of kirsch, white pepper and pine needles, yet beneath this are some more dusky scents of beef blood and mineral. The wine explodes onto your palate with wave after wave of spicy and rambunctious Grenache, loads of dried herbs, white pepper, laser-focused notes of cherry and raspberry, sort of like a Clarendon Grenache yet so much more intense, spicy, lighter and more alive. There is surprising grip and verve to this young dynamo of a wine, and as intense as the flavor profile is there is just nothing heavy or cloying here, not too much heat (but this is clearly very ripe). Is this what the 1989 Beaucastel might have tasted like on release? Wow, fun young wine, spicy, spicy, spicy!!!
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5/20/2005 - Jeff W wrote:
I picked up my case from the Domaine last week. (€31 a bottle) I have another three cases coming from other sources, so I was very happy to commit infanticide with one bottle.
I thought about the decanter, decided it didn’t need it, but then decanted some to see what would happen. First impressions are that this is a wine that tastes brilliant right now, and straight from the bottle.
You get intense, sweet, ripe fruit, on the nose and even more on the palate. It has a silky smooth/ glycerin feel. It is harmonious; a wine with no hard edges, in spite of its youth. The finish is very long, with excellent mouth-feel.
The WA note says to drink from 2007. Initially this surprised me, given how open, accessible and pleasurable it tastes right now. However, after a while the wine puts on weight as tannins start to build, which perhaps gives a hint. After two hours in the decanter it becomes quite tannic, although the tannins are always soft and ripe. At this point, when your mouth is well coated, the aftertaste seems to linger for minutes.
One thing that surprised me is that, in spite of the extra-ordinary summer of 2003, this is still recognisably a Clos des Papes. dg+
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