Tasting Notes: 7 Chateauneuf’s from 1989 - 2001

Tasting notes from a recent gathering of friends (read more about it here) which featured perfect food pairings for the event!

1989 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau (750 mL) Bottle 1: Decanted 1 hour. Medium-ruby color, a bit dusty. Dark fruits, barnyard, eucalyptus notes on the nose. Less fruit on the palate but some currant and cherry left, good spice notes rolled into the soft tannins. Opened side by site with another 1989 which showed a bit better. My rating: 88 pts

1989 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau (750 mL) Bottle 2: Decanted 1 hour. Second bottle of two. More vibrant ruby color than the other bottle, which translated to a bit more fruit on the nose. Currant, cherry, pepper, and mineral notes. More complex mid-palate and again, spice notes into medium tannins on the finish. A sip of this wine at the end of the night (roughly 5 hour decant) showed it was still evolving and drinking well. My rating: 90 pts

1995 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Crau (1500 mL): Beautiful deep ruby color with aroma’s of barnyard, cherry, raspberry, leather, earth. Opened up into an incredible wine that might still be considered in it’s youth (from a magnum with great provenance anyways). Lots of dark cherry, herbs, mineral notes and spice all packaged with formidable tannins and a complex finish. The 1995 is the new 2001, this wine thinks it’s in its youth…if you’ve got any left, keep it another 4-5 years or enjoy now with a long decant. My rating: 94 pts

2000 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée (750 mL): Decanted 1+ hour. Deep purple color - aromas of dark cherry, dark berries, herbs. This wine is just waking up, it’s completely alive with lots of red fruits and pepper on the palate - very balanced with velvety tannins. The finish is rich, long and expressive. This has a some years until it peaks. My rating: 93 pts

1998 Domaine St. Benoit Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Truffière (1500 mL): Medium ruby color, clear edges. Dark raspberry and cherry really stand out on the nose with some evergreen. Candied cherry, licorice and spice with a medium finish. My rating: 90 pts

1998 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale Les Hautes Brusquières (750 mL): Aromas of white pepper, cherry, and a whiff of herbs and perhaps a floral component. Fruits really showing well with thyme standing out somewhere in the mix of it all. Big tannins with good acidity and a long finish. My rating: 92 pts

2001 E. Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape (750 mL): Red fruits, complex flavors with herbs, plum, toffee and spice notes. Lighter in style with a medium body and medium length finish. My rating: 90 pts

2001 Bois de Boursan Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée des Felix (2 x 750 mL): Dark cherry, cellar/barnyard nose that gave way to berries, spice and minerals. Rich mouth feel, good structure and balance with solid tannins and a long finish. Really well put-together wine, lovely that will show well for years to come. My rating: 94 pts