TNs: Some 1998 Chateauneuf du Papes

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Michael Malinoski
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TNs: Some 1998 Chateauneuf du Papes

Post by Michael Malinoski »

A little while back, my family and I visited with some friends and we ended up enjoying a couple of nice wines together over a very nice dinner.

N.V. Domaine Tissot (André & Mireille now Stéphane) Crémant du Jura Extra Brut. This wine presents a sharp, cutting nose of copper minerality, dark citrus and ginger. In the mouth, it is super-dry, bracing and crunchy, with copper, browned apple and bitter citrus flavors. It’s taut, angular and minerally. It’s not a preferred style of mine, as it’s not very welcoming or giving, but it is decidedly palate-cleansing.

1998 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Caillou. Here one encounters a gentle and open nose of herbs de Provence, licorice rope, kirsch, baked cherry and suede leather. In the mouth, it’s totally resolved, with a little leather and spice accent to the baked cherry and dark cranberry fruit. It’s mid-weight, warm and friendly, with a strong streak of tangy acidity. This offers very nice drinking today but it’s starting to slide past its prime, I’d have to say.

1998 Château Fortia Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This is light and rather spicy on the nose, with all kinds of birch, sassafras, allspice, cracked pepper, limestone and brambly wild berry aromas. It has a nice blue and purple berry fruit core in the mouth, with a bit of lactic chocolate and mocha sweetness to balance out the spicy elements. It’s a bit thin maybe, and there are no tannins in play, but there’s good pitch and lift to give it some gentle drive. Drink now.

1998 Domaine des Bosquets Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This wine shows the biggest and most popping bouquet of the trio, with strong and layered aromas of cassis, cherry paste, fine leather and dirt pile. In the mouth, there’s a fine grippy concentration to the cherry, strawberry and crabapple flavors, and also a refreshing finishing kick. It will be the longest-lived of the three, but I’d still suggest drinking up now.

2000 Pride Mountain Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley. Here one finds a sexy, seductive, rich and heady bouquet full of balsam, eucalyptus, blueberry and black currant aromas. It’s seamless, lush, plush and delightfully sweet-fruited on the palate, where there’s a little bit of oak and vanilla, but also a wonderfully pliant texture and well-balanced alcohol. It’s big, but not over-sized or flabby in any way. Actually, it’s pretty darned delicious and drinking perfectly right now.


-Michael
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stefan
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Re: TNs: Some 1998 Chateauneuf du Papes

Post by stefan »

Yes, the '98 CdP were varied. My impression from the relatively few I have drunk from recent years is that there is now much less variety in CdP. Is that correct? if it is, should we blame The Bob or CdPHarry?
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Winona Chief
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Re: TNs: Some 1998 Chateauneuf du Papes

Post by Winona Chief »

Funny you should mention 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape - Marjorie and me enjoyed a bottle of 1998 Pegau Cuvee Reserve this evening with beef short ribs stew. This is very nice and pretty much mature at this point but still very fresh on the palate.

Chris Bublitz
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DavidG
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Re: TNs: Some 1998 Chateauneuf du Papes

Post by DavidG »

I would say that there are fewer producers making "traditional" Chateauneuf now, but perhaps even more variety when you consider all the different combinations and permutations of modern techniques available. They don't taste traditional, but they don't all taste the same.
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Tom In DC
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Re: TNs: Some 1998 Chateauneuf du Papes

Post by Tom In DC »

I still think that 1998 was CdP's greatest vintage in memory - I've had better, more interesting wines from '98 than what I've tasted from 2007.
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DavidG
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Re: TNs: Some 1998 Chateauneuf du Papes

Post by DavidG »

Agree, 1998 was amazing in CdP.
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