TNs: CdP month - the four wines that made me start like CdP

[Otto Nieminen]

I have had a bit of a tough time with CdP, but a couple wines have made me realize that it can be a truly great area. Here are my old notes, as it is CdP month, of what caused me to become interested in the area:

• 2005 Éric Texier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (9/27/2008)
  13,5% abv. Gold. Upon opening this reminded me of white Musar with its earthy and slightly funky notes, but opened up to scents of apricots, honey and flowers. Firm and fruity; great grip, great acidity for a Southern white, long. Though full bodied, it is precise, very clean and pure. Quite wonderful!
• 1992 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (5/6/2008)
  This was an exceptionally lovable wine! The nose was a little bit animal, bright and red toned, cherried, lifted - reminds me quite a bit of Musar except not so volatile. Sweet, aged fruit, still a little tannic, rather soft acidity but still refreshing. Only the slightly weak aftertaste shows this to be from a lesser vintage. Lovely.
• 2005 Éric Texier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/23/2008)
  I rarely seem to enjoy CdP, but this was one that really worked for me. The scent is open and sweet, but has such a wonderful bright red layer over the darker undertones, that is very savoury and a bit like acacia. It is full bodied, sweetly fruity, very but not over-ripe, and refreshingly tannic. Once again, despite the concentration of fruit, this is light on its feet. Very good.
• 1997 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Marie Beurrier - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (11/14/2007)
  A nose of peach stone, ripe and sweet red fruit, green tea and sous bois - utterly fascinating! The palate is in perfect balance with expressive and ripe fruit, good tannins and refreshing acidity unlike anything else I have experienced in CdP. This is just astonishingly good (which is high praise as I rarely seem to like CdP). A huge thanks to Charles Morgan for bringing it over!

Posted from CellarTracker

[HarryKaris]

Interesting list Otto, thanks for the notes. Its amazing how good the so-called off-vintages can be right now as the 1991-1992-1993 and 1994 vintages. With good provenance they can be a big surprise, elegant and fresh with a rich flavors palette - perfect food matchers.
Eric Texier makes very good wines, as do more nego's like Tardieu laurent.
Henri Bonneau remains risky, you never know what's in the bottle. Can be some brett, off bottles from bad corks and other problems. When good it can bring you the best wine experience you ever had.........like the 1990 and 1998 I had last year.

CdP-Harry

[Otto Nieminen]

Eric Texier makes very good wines, as do more nego's like Tardieu laurent.

My experience with these two producers is that they are stylistic opposites. I have most found Tardieu-Laurents too oaky, too "modern" - with a couple exceptions like their Vacqueyras 2002 which oddly enough showed no signs of the wet vintage!

I think with such producers, however, we must remember that négociant is not necessarily a bad word. We are so indoctrinated with the idea that négociants aren't on the level of growers that we are sometimes in danger of missing out some really great wines. In Burgundy, e.g. I think Drouhin makes fantastic, terroir oriented wines even from bought grapes. And Texier does the same (and I understand that so does T-L though I haven't payed as much attention because they aren't stylistically so close to my taste): he sources great plots with old vines and works closely with the farmers. I think Edmunds St. John (one of my favourite American producers) has a rather similar way of working as a négociant.