Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Wow.  Great wine that has really opened up in the last year.  Purple in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose has black cherries, black raspberries, spice, and slight floral notes (violets?).  On the palate, virtually a seamless texture.  Full bodied and full of glycerin.  Loads of black cherries and black raspberries.  Light tannins.  An underlying minerality.  Long finish.  Needs a bit bigger foods.  Just delicious.  Still has a decade or two left in it.  One of thos sips you can't stop drinking as it tastes so good.  

This has really come into its own and is drinking quite well right now.  Still youthful and not yet at peak though.  Purple in color.  The nose is bigger and excellent with cherries, violets, black olives, black raspberries, slightly meaty and spice.  On the palate, this is primary but deep.  it starts to open in the glass but still needs a few more years.  Lots of concentrated black raspberry fruit, cherries with just a bit of earth and spice.  Nice balance.  Long finish.  It needs heartier foods right now but should last for another 12 to 15 years at least.  

Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has cherries and black olives.  With air some black raspberries come out along with a bit of spice.  On the palate, this has a great texture.  This bottle seems like it is at or perhaps ever so slightly past peak (of course bottles vary).  nice complexity with layers of cherries, raspberries and spice with a slight dry earthiness.  Great balance.  It has an elegance that many 2007's do not have.  Great with foods of all kinds.  

Deep ruby in color, ruby at the rim.  The nose is dusty with red berries.  On the palate, cherries with slight tannins.  It could use a bit more acidity but that is nit picking.  Good finish.  This seems to be approaching maturity and should have a decade left.  Will work with a wide variety of foods, but maybe not spicy ones.  

This is really drinking quite well now.  It has taken some time, but is finally ready for prime time.  Purple in color.  Black raspberries, black cherries, slight cedar, slight dust and slight dried violets.  On the palate, this still has fresh black raspberry fruit layered with dry forest floor and spice.  Complex.  Very nice texture.  Good balance.  Nice finish.  This would work with heartier foods.  It demands attention but is quite delicious too.  Probably nearing peak, I would drink in the next decade.  

Ruby in color.  The nose is classic with cherries, slight funk, slight violets and spice.  With air, some leather.  On the palate, this is at peak.  Just where it should be.  Cherries layered with spice and earth.  Complex.  Alive with great energy.  This would work with a wide variety of hearty foods.  Good finish.  A wine that is both delicious and contemplative.  No hurry, but it won't get any better from here, so absolutely worth checking on.  

This is drinking really well right now.  Light golden in color.  The nose is great with minerals, lemons, wax but also plenty of melon and tropical fruit.  On the palate, this has a nice cutting acidity.  Good melon and lemon fruit.  Long finish.  Very food friendly.  While still drinking youthfully, it it open for business.  It will probably start to show more signs of maturity in a few years but is delicious right now.  

From Magnum.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose is dusty with black cherries and slight licorice.  Quite tight.  On the palate, the cherries continue, but this is really tight right now.  Seems monolithic.  Not sure where this goes from here, but hopefully, it starts to open up in the next couple of years.  Doesn't seem to really have great depth but who knows.  Perhaps some upside potential.  For now, however, it is very good and enjoyable.  One of those wines where expectations balance against reality.  

Upon first tasting, this wine wasn't giving up a thing.  Really tight.  But after an hour or two of air and multiple other pours being taken, this finally started to open up and show something.  That said, drink this quick or be prepared to wait a while before revisiting as if not shut down, it is getting there quickly.  Deep ruby in color.  The nose has black cherries with rocks and dust.  With air a bit of a floral note.  On the palate, this is almost jammy but not quite with black cherry fruit.  A nice minerality underneath.  It is delicious and only going to get better from here.  It ne

This is really in a nice place right now.  Mature but enough fresh fruit to keep it edgy.  Ruby in color, purple at the core.  The nose has opened up on this showing black cherries, cherries, and plums along with spice and slight dried floral notes.  On the palate, there is plenty of vibrant black cherry fruit.  Deep with layers that open up quickly.  Good acidity.  Nice balance.  No hurry but I think a few more years and it starts moving the other direction.  Works well with a wide variety of foods.  A great example of why cellaring top wines in ripe vintages might be a good strategy.