CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2007 "CUVEE GIRARD" RAYMOND USSEGLIO WINE ADVOCATE 92 POINTS - "Importer Peter Weygandt-s 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Girard has a deeper ruby/purple hue and a slightly more fleshy texture, but otherwise is similar to the regular cuvee. With plenty of Provencal herb, lavender, smoke, meat juice, black cherry, and black currant characteristics, this rich, pure, sultry, opulent wine should drink well for 10-15 years."
APHILLANTHES 2007 COTES DU RHONE VILLAGES "3 CEPAGES" WINE ADVOCATE 91 POINTS - "One of the finest examples of this cuvée I have tasted, it possesses a dense ruby purple color in addition to a bouquet of framboise, dark fruits, spice box, soy, blackberries and truffles. Medium to full bodied with excellent fruit and a luscious texture."
AUGUSTE CLAPE 2007 CORNAS
ROBERT PARKER 90-92 POINTS:
A bigger wine, the 2007 Cornas exhibits notes of scorched earth, new saddle leather, blackberries, cassis, figs, and tobacco leaf. Luscious by Clape’s standards, it should age nicely for 15 years.
The master of Cornas, this estate continues to fashion a beautiful array of wines. With his son, Pierre-Marie, in charge, Auguste Clape enjoys a well-deserved retirement. In addition to outstanding Cornas, Clape also produces a very good Cotes du Rhone and Vin de Pays, both made from fruit grown just outside the Cornas appellation. 2007 is a slightly lighter vintage in Cornas than 2006, but the sweetness of the tannins, and the precociousness of the wines make the 2007 Cornas much more approachable than usual.
DOMAINE DE CABIRAU 2008 "MALGRE LES FONCTIONNAIRES"COTES DU ROUSSILLON
After 27 years importing wines from France, Dan Kravitz from Harpswell Maine, is making wine in the Roussillon. Friends Jacques Castanay and Pascal Dieunidou from Domaine de L'Edre (big talents, we think-see the LEdre review below) are consulting in the cellar and helping Dan to make best of his 12 acres of old vines. This wine points to the ripe, saturated side of Roussillon. The Wine Advocate notes: "the Cabirau 2008 Cotes du Roussillon Malgre les Functionnaires combines Grenache with smaller, barrel-raised portions of Syrah and Carignan. Violets, blackberries, beef marrow, rosemary, and black pepper set the stage aromatically. A rich mouthful of beet and beef juices, blackberries, and cherries follows, tinged with black pepper, iodine, crushed stone, and pungent herbs. This palate-staining concentrate retains wonderful brightness and invigoration, and should be worth following for 6-8 years. (91-92pts)."
DOMAINE CHARVIN 2007 COTES DU RHONE LE POUTET
WINE ADVOCATE 89 POINTS:The 2007 Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet may be the finest example of this cuvee Laurent Charvin has yet made. A sleeper of the vintage, it delivers sexy black cherry and black raspberry fruit intermixed with loamy soil, spice, and roasted Provencal herb notes. With surprising density, a terrific texture, and a lush finish, it can be enjoyed over the next 2-3 years.
One of Chateauneuf du Pape’s young turks is Laurent Charvin, who represents the sixth generation of the family to run this estate (which was founded in 1851). Prior to 1990, the entire production was sold to negociants, but the estate-bottled production has gradually risen as consumers have recognized the quality in the bottle (which to me has always come close to what was produced at Chateau Rayas under the late Jacques Reynaud). It is a small estate, with a production of approximately 2,500 cases from their 20 acres of vines, all located in the northern tier of the appellation, next to the grand estate of Maucoil
CHATEAU LE DEVOY MARTINE 2008 COTES DU RHONE
Intense aromas of red and blackberries followed by hints of spice and dried herbs. Easy drinking, balanced, fruity, medium bodied with silky tannins and a long finish.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 "VV" DOMAINE DE LA JANASSE WINE SPECTATOR 94 POINTS - "Packed with dark plum, boysenberry and blueberry fruit, along with graphite, black tea, sweet smoke and licorice. Long finish shows fig, mineral and toast notes. Great length. Drink now through 2026. 400 cases imported."
ROBERT PARKER 93+ POINTS - "Possibly better, but certainly not as charming as the Chaupin or the regular bottling of Chateauneuf, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes has the most tannin and rigidity at present, and needs 3-4 years of bottle age before it will be drinkable. It should keep for 15 or so years. Dense dark purple to the rim with a beautiful nose of flowers, blueberries, black raspberries and cherries, this is intense, full-bodied wine with moderately high tannins and brilliant symmetry as well as purity. Year in and year out, this is certainly one of the dozen or so top wines of Chateauneuf du Pape, and 2004 is no exception."
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 CHARVIN WINE SPECTATOR 92 POINTS - "Very pure and stylish, showing lots of red currant, licorice and fig flavors, backed by ample flesh, with wonderful balance and a long, mineral- and herb-tinged finish. Perfumy and elegant in the end. Should flesh out more with some cellaring. Drink now through 2021. 2,500 cases made."
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2007 CHARVIN
Parker calls the 2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from this property, “...the finest wine ever made by Charvin!” He awarded the wine 97 points and goes on to reference “...a terrific nose of kirsch, lavender, licorice, forest floor and spice box...” as well as “...fabulous density, a multidimensional mouthfeel and a 45+ second finish!”
The ageability quotient of Charvin’s wines is impeccable! Wine is made here in an ultra-traditional, non-interventionist fashion and while his wines may seem a tad light and somewhat feminine in their initial stages of life, they age wonderfully and put on weight, complexity and girth with time. We recommend cellaring for a minimum 3-5 years. We’ve tasted numerous bottles of aged Charvin from many different vintages and the wine rarely, if ever, disappoints!
ROBERT PARKER 97 POINTS - "I believe the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is the finest wine ever made at Charvin. Their wines never achieve a lot of color, but this is one of the most saturated ones they have produced. The blend from the 45- to 50-year-old vines is 85% Grenache and the rest equal parts Syrah, Mourvedre, and Vaccarese, all aged in cement tanks prior to being bottled unfiltered. A terrific nose of kirsch, lavender, licorice, forest floor, and spice box soars from the glass of this full-bodied effort. With fabulous density, a multidimensional mouthfeel, and a 45+-second finish this brilliant, elegant, feminine-styled wine is loaded with concentration and intensity. Like many 2007 Chateauneuf du Papes, the extraordinary fruit level makes it hard to resist. However, it will be even better in 3-5 years, and should last for 15-20."
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2007 "VV-SECRET DE GABRIEL" MONPERTUIS (1.5 LITER)
This cuvée is made from the oldest vines - 60-130 years old, and the yield is only 15-20 hl./ha. The grapes for this cuvée are not destemmed, but otherwise the blend and vinification process is as for the Cuvée Classique.
This Cuvée is made only in good vintages.
Les Cailloux (Lucien et Andre Brunel) 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire
Wine Advocate 96 Points
The Cuvee Centenaire is produced from ancient vine (planted in 1889) Grenache (80% of the blend, along with 8% Syrah and 12% Mourvedre). The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is superior to the 2000, but slightly behind the 1998. This fabulous wine boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as a provocative perfume of incense, black tea, plums, figs, and kirsch liqueur. As it sits in the glass, this full-bodied, dense 2001 offers up notes of pepper, smoke, and balsam wood. Rich and voluptuous with great length, massive body, and a structured, long, heady, tannic finish, its alcohol must be over 15%, but it is well concealed by the wine’s great concentration. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2003 "CUVEE CENTENAIRE" BRUNEL
WINE ADVOCATE 96
The limited production but exquisite 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is a riper, more concentrated version of the 2000 Centenaire. There are about 500 cases of this Grenache-dominated wine produced from a vineyard planted in 1889 with some Syrah and Mourvedre (about 20%) added to the blend. The latter components are aged in small barrels. The wine has a dense ruby/purple-tinged color to the rim, a strikingly pure nose of kirsch liqueur, creme de cassis, and hints of vanilla and espresso. Hitting the palate with full-throttle opulence, superb concentration, fabulous purity, and striking multiple levels of raspberries and black cherry jam, this is a beautifully full-bodied, brilliantly concentrated and structured wine that reveals sweet but abundant tannin and a finish that goes on for close to a minute.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2003 QUARTZ CLOS DU CAILLOU WINE ADVOCATE 90
The only special cuvee made in 2003 was Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz. This tannic, structured wine is showing toasty new oak, some barrique aging, plenty of cassis and cherries, and moderately high tannins in the long, slightly austere finish. It is a serious wine but needs about 2-3 years of cellaring and should last 12-15 years.
CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2004 “CORBIS”
DOMAINE FERRANDO $49.99 [#320675]We were recently afforded the opportunity to taste
this lovely, reserve-styled Châteauneuf-du-Pape from
up-and-coming winemaker Isabel Ferrando. The wine
provides a gentle, more feminine elegant introduction to
the Châteauneuf genre and we highly recommend it to
Rhone novices or newcomers. It recently scored a solid
89-91 from Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar as Josh
Raynolds notes, “Deep red. Pungent earthy and floral
nose offers scents of dried cherry, plum, garrigue, roasted
coffee and black tea. Warm and round on the palate,
showing sweet, nicely focused red berry and cherry
liqueur flavors and a sappy, clinging texture. Finishes
lush, gently tannic and long.”
WINE SPECTATOR 93
Velvety texture from beginning to end, with raspberry, fig, mineral and spice flavors and hints of shiso leaf. The tangy, minerally finish is long and racy and driven by fresh acidity. Best from 2007 through 2026.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 "DEUS EX MACHINA" CLOS ST.JEAN WINE ADVOCATE 95
The top cuvee, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus-Ex Machina, a blend of 60% Grenache from ancient vines aged in foudres and 40% Mourvedre aged in small barrels, might well turn out to be the wine of the vintage. It is one of the few 2004s that can compete with the dozen or so monumental wines produced in Chateauneuf du Pape in 2003. This wine is dense ruby/purple to the rim, has a stunning nose of blackberry, crushed roasted Provencal herbs, and rich aged beef-like smells. The wine is sweet from glycerin and richness rather than any residual sugar as it is totally dry. It has fabulous texture, great purity, and stunning complexity and length. This is a real blockbuster wine that totally transcends the vintage character. Drink it over the next 12-15+ years.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 CUVEE BOISRENARD DOMAINE BEAURENARD
We have a limited amount of this spectacular, reserve-styled wine. Beaurenard’s “Cuvee Boisrenard” is perennially one of the great southern Rhone wines in top vintages and the 2004 maintains this tradition! It’s a loaded fruit blockbuster that recently received high scores from both Tanzer (91-93 points) and Parker (92-94 points) who describes the wine as, “layered…full-bodied, impressively endowed and ideal for either drinking early or for ageing 12-15 years!” This one is a bit limited so if you have a notion, move quickly!
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 "COMBE FOUS" CLOS ST. JEANThis vibrant cuvee combines assorted dollops of sweet cherry/black cherry fruit in conjunction with sundry hints of red licorice, fennel, blackberry and exotic spice. Parker has awarded this gem 92-95 points noting, “This beauty is one of the vintage’s stars!”
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 "CUVEE PAPET" CLOS MT. OLIVET
'Medium red. Multifaceted bouquet of bitter cherry, red plum, tapenade, pipe tobacco and espresso. Quite supple on the palate with concentrated but finely etched flavors of cherry, plum, fresh herbs, espresso and bitter chocolate. Velvety and quite elegant for a wine of its size, finishing with juicy acidity, sweet tannins and striking length.” (Tanzer 93-95/Parker 94-96)
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 MON AIEUL PIERRE USSEGLIO WINE ADVOCATE 94
The 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul, which spends 90% of its time in tank and 10% in old barrels, has turned out even better in bottle than it performed from cask. Basically 100% Grenache in 2004, this is clearly better than the 1999, which I own and drink frequently. It exhibits a deep ruby purple color and a wonderful sweet nose of black cherry, raspberry, licorice, spice box, and roasted herbs. Voluminous for a 2004, with full body, beautiful texture, a long, heady finish, and loads of fruit, glycerin, and decent acidity, this wine should drink beautifully for 12-15+ years.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 QUET BOISLAUZON
Limited wine! Parker notes, .a saturated ruby/purplecolor and a tight but gorgeous nose of kirsch liqueur,raspberries, plum, seaweed and licorice. Medium to fullbodiedwith ripe tannins, superb depth and a layeredconcentrated mouth feel, this is a beauty to drink overthe next 12-15+ years. (RP 92-94)
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 CUVEE REINE DES BOIS DOMAINE DE LA MORDOREE
“A brilliant wine. Deep ruby/purple color with big sweet notes of smoky blackberries and cassis intermixed with kirsch, licorice and some roasted meat smells. In the mouth, there is an inkiness to the flavors and a profound richness that has to be tasted to be believed. It is a beauty and certainly one of the most concentrated and impressive wines of the 2004 vintage.” (Parker 93-95)
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2004 "VV" DOMAINE COTE D'ANGE (TANZER 90-92) (WA 87-89+)
“Deep red. Rich, pungent, earthy aromas of dark berries, roasted coffee, cocoa powder and wood smoke. Lush and concentrated with intense flavors of dark berry compote, mocha, candied licorice and cracker pepper. Sweet and structured, this boasts excellent palate coverage and finishes on a gently tannic, sweet cherry note. (Tanzer 90-92)
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2005 "CUVEE BOISRENARD" DOMAINE BEAURENARD
WINE ADVOCATE 92
Dense dark ruby/purple with a nose of pain grille, melted licorice, espresso, chocolate, blackberry and cherry, the modern-styled 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Boisrenard has little evidence of spicy oak but is deep in color, structured, masculine, with less flesh than some of the previous top vintages such as 1998, 2000, and 2001, but with plenty of power, concentration, and intensity. This is certainly one of the best Boisrenards since the 2001, and needs a good 4-5 years of bottle age. It should keep for at least two-plus decades. One of the great families of Chateauneuf du Pape, the Coulons, have been estate bottling for nearly 100 years, and have an impressive, nearly unmatched record of quality
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2005 "ETIENNE GONNET" FONT DE MICHELLE WINE ADVOCATE 90
The outstanding 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Etienne Gonnet is a classic expression of Provence. Aromas of garrigue, lavender, pepper, kirsch, and spice emerge from this dark ruby, medium to full-bodied, fleshy Chateauneuf that avoids the hard tannins frequently found in this vintage. Drink it over the next 12-15 years.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2005 "PAPET" CLOS MT.OLIVET WINE ADVOCATE 92
The dark ruby 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Papet exhibits a big, sweet nose of roasted meats, licorice, Provencal herbs, black cherry, raspberry, and currant. The wine is medium to full-bodied, deep, moderately tannic, but very elegant and fresh. It should drink well for close to two decades. From one of the archconservative bastions of traditionalism in Chateauneuf du Pape, these are classic old-style Chateauneuf du Papes bursting at the seams with sweet cherry notes, roasted Provencal herbs, licorice, and resiny, loamy, earthy scents. These wines age surprisingly well; certainly the 1990 Cuvee du Papet in my cellar is one of the most monumental Chateauneuf du Papes ever made.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2005 "BARGETON" LESEC, PATRICK WINE ADVOCATE 94
Utterly profound, the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Bargeton (85% old vine Grenache from the sector of Chateauneuf du Pape called La Crau and the rest Mourvedre) is the only Chateauneuf to be completely aged in small barrels. This full-bodied wine has a deep ruby/purple color and a sweet nose of melted licorice, roasted Provencal herbs, blackberry, and deep, rich kirsch liqueur. It is quite full-bodied, unctuously textured, and juicy, with moderately high tannins. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades. These are all noteworthy wines and generally sell for very realistic prices, so kudos to Patrick Lesec! I can’t speak highly enough of the job that Patrick Lesec does as a negociant, putting together interesting and high quality blends of Cotes du Rhones and Chateauneuf du Papes. He seems to have a talent for finding top quality sources for old vine Grenache, and his philosophy of bringing wines up is one of minimal intervention in a reductive environment with little exposure to oxygen. That’s important, because his wines often take a few years after bottling to strut their stuff.
CHATEAUNEUF DU PAPE 2005 FERRAND (BRAVEY)
This property has become one of our favorites as they have recently strung together an unprecedented run of superb Chateauneuf-du-Pape starting back with their 2001! Proprietor Charles Bravay has done it again in 2005 with a superb Chateauneuf that Parker describes as both “impressive” and a “wine not to be missed!” The Bravay style is one of classic restraint and balance! Traditionally wrought, wines from Ferrand speak to an old-fashioned Rhone tradition in combining generous Grenache fruit with a definite sense of place. (Parker 93)
