SWILL NOVEMBER TASTING - SOUTHERN RHONE - win's house in Southlake, TX (11/23/2007)

White

A little white to prime the palate for the onslaught to come.

• 2004 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML89
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of pears, yellow apples and a hint of nutmeg. Flavors of yellow apples, pears and minerals. Medium acidity, medium body. Drink or hold over the short to medium term. (89 pts.)

Southern Rhone

Many young Chateauneuf with one Gigondas thrown into the mix. Infantcide was committed with abandon.

• 1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML91+?
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Raspberry color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Tight nose giving way to some notes of raspberries, cherries, berries and flowers. Same on the palate giving way to some simple flavors of berries, cherries and a touch of bitters on the finish. Medium acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold. I'll drink my next bottle in 2015. (91 pts.)


• 1998 Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML90
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Raspberry color in the glass, slightly cloudy looking. Nose of raspberries, ripe berries and florals. Flavors of ripe red berries, strawberries and cherries. Medium to bright acidity, medium tannins, medium to full body. Drink with a decant or continue to hold. (90 pts.)


• 2000 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIMLNR
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of anise, berries and a touch of coffee towards the finish. Flavors of red berries and red cherries. Medium acidity, firm tannins, medium to full body. Hold. Note: bottle was a bit off on the nose and palate from expected so no rating.


• 2001 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML92+
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and decanted beforehand (not sure how long). Dark garnet color in the glass. clear hue throughout. Huge nose of coffee, plums, melted black licorice and a hint of smoke. Flavors of plums, Bing cherries, rich black berries and a hint of bitters on the long finish. Medium to bright acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Big and youthful wine with a long life ahead of it. Hold. (92 pts.)


• 2001 Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML91
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of rich blank currants, berries, roasted meat and rose petals. Flavors of black berries, cherries and plums. Medium to vibrant acidity, integrated tannins, medium to full body. Can be drank now if you'd just like to burn one or continue to hold. Perfect example of why people like to drink CdP young and old. (91 pts.)


• 2003 Domaine du Pesquier Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas
  WIML91
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of leather, plums and a bit of currants. Flavors of juicy black berries and plums. Bright acidity, medium to firm tannins, medium to full body. Can be drank now with a decant or held over the medium term. I'll be extending the drinking window on my 3 remaining bottles from 2008-2010 to 2009, 2011 and 2013. (91 pts.)


• 2003 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML92-94?
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of sweet perfume, thistle, saddle leather and a mix of dark fruits. Flavors of red currants, juicy berries and cherries. Vibrant acidity, medium to firm tannins, full bodied without a doubt. I'd recommend holding. Not drinking quite as well as the last bottle I had. Might be shutting down. No rush here. (93 pts.)


• 2004 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML90
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of rick dark raspberries, a hint of cinnamon and black cherries. Flavors of rich black currants, a bit of jammy black berries and some black cherries. Medium to high acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Hold. (90 pts.)


• 2004 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML90
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Garnet to dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Jammy nose of mixed red fruits, a hint of cocoa powder and some soft brown spices. Flavors of red licorice, rich red berries, strawberries and Bing cherries. Bright acidity, firm tannins, full body. Quite distinctive. Hold. (90 pts.)


• 2005 Domaine Olivier Hillaire Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Petits Pieds - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIML90
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of melted black licorice, roasted meat, sliced plums and some florals. Flavors of rich berries, currants and licorice. Vibrant acidity, firm tannins, full body. Hold. (90 pts.)


• 2005 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
  WIMLNR
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Dark garnet color in the glass, clear hue throughout. Nose of red currants, perfume and a hint of dark chocolate. Tight and tannic on the palate yielding a little red berries, red raspberries and a bit of bitters on the finish. Medium to high acidity, very firm tannins and full body. Hold. Not rated. Wouldn't be fair.

After the tasting

A little port for Australia (joking) along side some real port (not joking) followed by a cellar raid where we unmercifully killed a bottle of Krug.

• 2006 Mollydooker Shiraz Velvet Glove - Australia, South Australia, Fleurieu, McLaren Vale
  WIML92
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Crimson color in the glass, opaque. Typically heavy handed Sparky wine with tons of vanilla and blueberry milkshake aromas with some hard to find talc and dark fruits. Big and chewy on the palate with gobs of black berries, blue berries, cocoa and some bitters on the very long finish. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full body to the hilt. Approach with caution. Hold. (92 pts.)


• 2003 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  WIML95
  
  Tasted "blind" November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Crimson color in the glass, opaque. Big nose of Kirsch, dark black plums, melted black licorice and golden raisins. Flavors of black currants, dried plums and black licorice. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full body. 19+ percent alcohol and you'd never know. Really good balance and unbelievably approachable for such a youthful wine. I can't wait until this baby grows up. Impressed me enough that I ran to the store after the tasting and bought 6 bottles for the cellar. Wine of the night for me. (95 pts.)


• 2004 Quinta do Noval Porto Vintage - Portugal, Douro, Porto
  WIML87
  
  Tasted "blind" November 23, 2007. Opened and served immediately. Dark crimson color in the glass, opaque. Almost vegetal like nose (no, not a flawed type of aroma) up front followed by notes of steamer trunk and finally some mixed dark fruits. Flavors of black currants, black licorice and a bit of a vegetal finish. Light to medium acidity, firm tannins, medium to full body. Pails in comparison to the 2003. Hold and hope. (87 pts.)


• 1995 Krug Champagne Brut - France, Champagne
  WIMLNR
  
  Tasted November 23, 2007. No formal notes. Purchased from retail and popped and poured in the wine bar. Light yellow color in the glass, clear hue throughout with a light to medium mousse. Slightly closed nose of yellow and citrus fruits. Flavors of citrus fruits dominate with a fairly high level of acidity. Wine seems a little closed to me versus expected so no rating.

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