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Chateauneuf Notes

Some notes on some Chateauneuf du Papes. While there are many permitted varietals allowed in Chateauneuf, the majority of producers use only about 4 - Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault, as well as a bit of Cunoise sometimes. The notes indicate major components only; the balance is made up of a combination of these other varietals.

If you wonder at the concentration of some of these wines, it isn't just the warm climate - they are allowed to crop at only 35 hl/hectare as opposed to 60 in Bordeaux, and the vines grow without irrigation in fist sized rocks.

1999 Ch. Beauchene - 80% Grenache, old estate with old vines, partial destemming. This was a lighter wine with a simple warm berry nose, juicy midpalate with soft tannin, ready to roll right now and no point cellaring it.

1999 Dom. des Relagnes Cuvee Vigneronne - traditional vinification with no yeast added, 85% Grenache. Lots of jammy ripeness here, forward and ready with medium body and soft tannin.

1998 Dom. Duclaux - another early drinking wine from the owner of Vieux Lazaret. I liked the nose a bit more although it wasn't quite as ripe, and the wine seemed to have better balance. Again, ready to drink. This producer has an old style vineyard with the varietals interplanted.

1999 Dom. du Pere Pape La Crau de Ma Mere - this one was only 70% Grenache and

10% Mourvedre, and the wine was showing more garrigue, lavender and pepper. Better flavour definition, drier than the previous wines, with good length. This could use some more time. Glad to see I have some of this one.

1999 Dom. St. Benoit Cuve de Grand Garde - More than 90% Grenache and predictably the nose was fruit driven, with a slightly pruny oxidised note. Fair bit of tannin, and a nice hint of orange peel and more than a hint of black pepper in the nose, I am not sure this one will hold as long as some critics predict, but it should repay 3-5 years of cellaring for sure.

1999 Bosquet des Papes - 70% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Cinsault. This was the Cuvee Classique - they also make a 100% Cuvee Grenache version, and since 1990, a premium Cuvee Chantemerle. This wine was well put together, showing more gaminess and garrigue in the nose, a nice weight in mid-palate, and good length. No rush, but drinks well now.

2000 Bosquet des Papes - interesting to compare the two vintages. 199 was good,

2000 even better, yet to my taste, the 99 was slightly preferable. The 2000 had a slightly perfumed nose that the 99 lacked, and was smooth and forward, though with plenty of tannin to hold, yet with a bit less complexity right now.

2001 Font de Michelle - 65% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre and Syrah. This was the regular cuvee. It was quite young and smooth with pepper in the finish. The colour was lighter than the others and it seemed less serious a wine and is definitely for early drinking. They do make a more serious version

- I still have some 1994 Cuvee Etienne Gonnet that impressed me quite a bit. Probably time to open a bottle.

My favourites were the La Crau and the 99 Bosquet des Papes.

Reply to
Bill Spohn
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I have had very little recent Chateauneuf, but in the 70s I had a lot of it. There were both wines for early drinking and those that required extended age then. The modern early drinkers tend to be in a more fruity style than in the 70s and earlier. I well remember tasting the 1967 Domaine de Beaucastel(they changed to Chateau some years later). This was one of the fullest, most extracted, tannic wines I have ever tasted. Thank goodness the tannins were medium and not too harsh. It could nearly be chewed. You had black teeth after drinking it. It reminds me of some of the very extracted wines David Bruce made in the early 70s or the Mt. Veeder Winery Cabernet Franc 1977. It took many years to soften enough to please me. I have not tasted any recent very young Chateau de Beaucastel. I wonder if they or anyone else still make the type of wine I described, or have all moved to a somewhat lighter and more fruity style that drinks better young.

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Reply to
Cwdjrx _

They (and many Northern Rhones) tend to be made in a more fruit-forward style, but nonetheless still have some stuffing.

The best Chateauneuf I think I've ever had would be the 1967 Jaboulet Les Cedres. Fantabulous!

There have been others like the 1989 and 1990 Rayas that have been as good, but different, but I give the nod to the 67 as being something quite different than any other vintage of that wine I have tasted.

Reply to
Bill Spohn
[] ] 2001 Font de Michelle - 65% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 10% Mourvedre and Syrah. ] This was the regular cuvee. It was quite young and smooth with pepper in the ] finish. The colour was lighter than the others and it seemed less serious a ] wine and is definitely for early drinking. They do make a more serious version ] - I still have some 1994 Cuvee Etienne Gonnet that impressed me quite a bit. ] Probably time to open a bottle. ]

Hi Bill,

Thanks as always for the great notes. Interesting to hear that the '01 Font de Michelle disappointed. I haven't tried it, and don't have any, although I am usually faithful to the house. Their wines are not usually described as "light and for early drinking." Typically -- or at least in the past -- the Cuvee Gonnet has been oak aged but not necessarily more concentrated, at least in a decent year.

I hope this doesn't indicate a change of style. In the past most of their export business has been to Belgium and Holland, but I understand it is turning up more frequently in North America now.

Glad to hear Bosquet at least -- another of my favs -- is holding up the side.

-E

Reply to
Emery Davis

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