2008 Chateauneuf du Pape
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Tasting notes
Vivid ruby. Blackcurrant and cherry on the nose, complicated by notes of black pepper and fruitcake. Spicy and expansive, offering pliant dark fruit flavors and a touch of peppery spice. Nicely brisk on the finish, which repeats the spicy note. This drinks well now. The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape was too reduced for me to get a handle on it.
Critic scores
Average Score
Robert Parker
Jancis Robinson MW
More reviews and scores
The 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape (93% Grenache, 4% Mourvedre, 2% Counoise and 2% Syrah, aged in cement tanks) has turned out even better than I predicted last year. One of the few outstanding successes of the vintage, it is a real sleeper, offering a deep plum/ruby color, a plump, dense, richly fruity nose (blackberries, currants and spice), a silky texture, and more concentration than most of its 2008 peers. Enjoy it over the next 5-7 years. I love the consistently top notch efforts that Proprietor Eric Michel fashions from his cellars north of Chateauneuf du Pape in Mondragon (also the home of one of my favorite Rhone Valley restaurants, La Beaugraviere ). Importers: Simon N Cellars, Charlottesville, VA; tel. (434) 977-4476, and Bonhomie Wine Imports, South Orange, NJ; tel. (973) 821-5111
Lustrous cherry red. Rich and svelte too. Good combination of freshness and ripe fruit. Some savour. Very energetic. Good persistence. (JR)
About the producer
Product details
Grenache/ Garnacha , Syrah / Shiraz, Mourvedre/Monastrell/Mataro
Red
Dry