1998 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve le Clos du Caillou

Community Tasting Notes (52) Avg Score: 94.6 points

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  11/25/2023 - Jeff Leve wrote: 97 Points

  This continues to develop well. The full-bodied wine is packed with smoked meat, green olives, herbs, black raspberries, and peppery kirsch. It harnesses all its power and magically turns elegant on the palate, with a sweetness and spicy note to the layers of fruit in the long finish. This is one of the better agers in the appellation as it is still going strong at 25 after most wines have already faded. There is no upside to further cellaring, so if you have a bottle, drink it as it is as good as it will get. Drink from 2023-2030.

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  10/12/2021 - Tgood wrote: 97 Points

  Pulled this out on a Tuesday’sh utilitarian afterwork essential home grub meal with kids and distractions aplenty. Popped and poured and WOW this ‘98 Cotes du Rhone Reserve is dynamite. Gulped half the bottle down quenching thirst and washing down gruel when I noticed it was the CdP Reserve not the CdR. My only bottle of the ‘98. Inky, concentrated juicy fruited, nice exotic spices, regal tannins - a complete if bombastic wine. Got 99,00, and 01’s and no more look alike CdR Reserve so no more mistakes. It is likely I am not the only one to mix them up as they have changed the CdR Reserve label since.

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  1/2/2021 - Mark Fister Likes this wine: 94 Points

  Color is deep rusty red. Nose reveals a bit of funk, kir, and herbs. Taste is spot on for aged CdP - very smooth, a bit of barnyard in the background, pepper, olive, and iron balanced by red fruit. Unlikely to get any better, but the window for staying near the peak should be at least another 10 years with good provenance.

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  12/26/2020 - winesnout wrote: 95 Points

  Dark red with orange rim. Ripe cherries and plums, some garrigue. Thick, full-bodied and smooth with a creamy mouthfeel. An excellent CdP from a terrific year. Still very good.

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  9/5/2020 - King Julien wrote: 95 Points

  Decanted about 30 min. Fully mature and ready to go. Nice but subtle Mourvèdre nose, smooth palate, easy to drink. Stayed the same for a couple hours until gone.

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