2007 Chateauneuf du Pape

The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape (80% Grenache and the balance Syrah and Mourvèdre) sports a killer bouquet of garrigue, kirsch, black currants and leather to go with a medium to full-bodied, concentrated, elegant and structured vibe on the palate. One of those wines that just screams “Southern Rhone!” it’s still relatively youthful (I’d happily drink bottles today) and will hold nicely for another decade and then have a gradual decline after that.

Vivid red. Fresh raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by woodsmoke, garrigue and yellow rose. Strikingly pure and sweet, with deep red and dark berry preserve flavors, silky texture and no obvious tannins. Almost Burgundian in style, with a very long, powerfully fruity finish. Here's another 2007 that will be a stunner out of the gate.

Seriously perfumed and traditional on the nose, with complex aromas of saddle leather, lavender, leafy tobacco, roasted meats, and sweet Grenache fruit on the nose, the 2007 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape is beautifully put together on the palate and delivers a textbook, medium to full-bodied mouth feel, beautiful purity of fruit, and ample underlying structure on the palate. Showing every bit as impressive now as it did on release, this traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape took the better part of the evening to open up, so don’t be afraid to give this air if drinking anytime soon. Nevertheless, it is certainly approachable now given its voluptuous fruit and texture, yet it should continue to shine for 12-15 years or more.