Notes from a blind tasting of Chateauneuf de Papes from the 2000
vintage and later.

2005 Vieux Telegraphe blanc – funny, I had the 2006 a couple of weeks
ago. This one showed its origins more plainly. Some colour, tropical
fruit notes decent fruit on palate and well balanced. Shame about the
prices.

2001 Chante Perdrix – quite a rich cocoa nose from a fairly dark wine,
tasty, forward and slightly hot. I thought the nose pleasant but
atypical. I have a bunch of this but haven’t got into it yet. With
time the nose may become more typical.

2003 Pierre Useglio (regular cuvee) – cherry and leather in this
Grenache dominated wine’s nose. It also had a bit of heat, good fruit
and drinks well now. Smooth.

2000 Vieux Donjon – dark with a spicy peppery nose with the first of
what I’d characterize as garrigue. After some time in the glass the
wine the nose changed to a dustier almost chalky version, though still
with the pepper. This also drinks quite well today but there is no
rush. Wish I’d loaded up a bit more, but I’d already stashed a couple
of cases of the really excellent 1998, so must have given in to a
completely uncharacteristic bout of fiscal sensibility when this one
hit the stores.

2000 Vieux Telegraphe La Crau – sweet anise in the nose as well as a
hint of Rhone funkiness, but mostly it showed sweet in the nose and
even sweeter on palate. No rush but good now.

2001 Pegau – dark with a serious stinky peppery Rhone nose (the horse
was put away wet after a long ride), but also reminding me of a leg of
lamb with herbs de Provence and garlic, full body, amazingly smooth
and ready and far better than the last bottle we had which must have
been heat damaged at some point.

2001 Dom. La Milliere Cuvee Unique – a new one on me, but that isn’t
surprising given the array of small producers out there. Slightly
stinky nose, an harmonious wine that picked up more fruit in the nose
as it opened, but old style with some of the animal elements that
added interest.

2000 Pegau – fun to be able to compare two vintages. Dark with more
tannin than the 2001, and a slightly less funky nose, but still
showing the Provencal panoply of aromas, becoming more peppery as the
wine opened. It struck me as a more modern style, very pleasant and
well structured with a long life ahead.

This was held at a Southern French bistro with food to match and we
all crawled home full and happy. Some pics at
http://s454.photobucket.com/albums/q...euf%20Offline/

On Sep 17, 10:55*am, "Bill S." > wrote:
> Notes from a blind tasting of Chateauneuf de Papes from the 2000
> vintage and later.
>
> 2005 Vieux Telegraphe blanc – funny, I had the 2006 a couple of weeks
> ago. This one showed its origins more plainly. Some colour, tropical
> fruit notes decent fruit on palate and well balanced. Shame about the
> prices.
>
> 2001 Chante Perdrix – quite a rich cocoa nose from a fairly dark wine,
> tasty, forward and slightly hot. I thought the nose pleasant but
> atypical. *I have a bunch of this but haven’t got into it yet. With
> time the nose may become more typical.
>
> 2003 Pierre Useglio (regular cuvee) – cherry and leather in this
> Grenache dominated wine’s nose. It also had a bit of heat, good fruit
> and drinks well now. *Smooth.
>
> 2000 Vieux Donjon – dark with a spicy peppery nose with the first of
> what I’d characterize as garrigue. After some time in the glass the
> wine the nose changed to a dustier almost chalky version, though still
> with the pepper. *This also drinks quite well today but there is no
> rush. *Wish I’d loaded up a bit more, but I’d already stashed a couple
> of cases of the really excellent 1998, so must have given in to a
> completely uncharacteristic bout of fiscal sensibility when this one
> hit the stores.
>
> 2000 Vieux Telegraphe La Crau – sweet anise in the nose as well as a
> hint of Rhone funkiness, but mostly it showed sweet in the nose and
> even sweeter on palate. No rush but good now.
>
> 2001 Pegau – dark with a serious stinky peppery Rhone nose (the horse
> was put away wet after a long ride), but also reminding me of a leg of
> lamb with herbs de Provence and garlic, full body, amazingly smooth
> and ready and far better than the last bottle we had which must have
> been heat damaged at some point.
>
> 2001 Dom. La Milliere Cuvee Unique – a new one on me, but that isn’t
> surprising given the array of small producers out there. *Slightly
> stinky nose, an harmonious wine that picked up more fruit in the nose
> as it opened, but old style with some of the animal elements that
> added interest.
>
> 2000 Pegau – fun to be able to compare two vintages. *Dark with more
> tannin than the 2001, and a slightly less funky nose, but still
> showing the Provencal panoply of aromas, becoming more peppery as the
> wine opened. It struck me as a more modern style, very pleasant and
> well structured with a long life ahead.
>
> This was held at a Southern French bistro with food to match and we
> all crawled home full and happy. *Some pics athttp://s454.photobucket.com/albums/qq270/DavidJCooper/Chateauneuf%20O...

Great notes! I was interested in the Useglio. I've found these wines
to be someqhat "California" in style with lush fruit and smooth
tannins. The Pegau notes are right on with my take on those wines.

Bill S. wrote:

> 2000 Vieux Donjon – dark with a spicy peppery nose with the first of
> what I’d characterize as garrigue. After some time in the glass the
> wine the nose changed to a dustier almost chalky version, though still
> with the pepper. This also drinks quite well today but there is no
> rush. Wish I’d loaded up a bit more, but I’d already stashed a couple
> of cases of the really excellent 1998, so must have given in to a
> completely uncharacteristic bout of fiscal sensibility when this one
> hit the stores.

I loved this wine at release, as one of the last remaining
traditionalists in CdP, but alas they've since gone over to the Dark
Side and hired an oenologist who's tarted their wines up horribly.
Luckily, I have a couple of the '00 sitting in the cellar.

>
> 2000 Vieux Telegraphe La Crau – sweet anise in the nose as well as a
> hint of Rhone funkiness, but mostly it showed sweet in the nose and
> even sweeter on palate. No rush but good now.

Good to hear, Bill.

>
> 2001 Pegau – dark with a serious stinky peppery Rhone nose (the horse
> was put away wet after a long ride), but also reminding me of a leg of
> lamb with herbs de Provence and garlic, full body, amazingly smooth
> and ready and far better than the last bottle we had which must have
> been heat damaged at some point.

When I tasted this side-by-side with the '00 years ago, I preferred the
'01 for its better structure and balance. Was that evident in your
tasting? I've got a few bottles of this, too.

>
> 2001 Dom. La Milliere Cuvee Unique – a new one on me, but that isn’t
> surprising given the array of small producers out there. Slightly
> stinky nose, an harmonious wine that picked up more fruit in the nose
> as it opened, but old style with some of the animal elements that
> added interest.

This is a North Berkeley import. In my experience, it's typically a
lighter, earlier-drinking CdP, but doesn't display signs of NBI's usual
"barrel program."

>
> 2000 Pegau – fun to be able to compare two vintages. Dark with more
> tannin than the 2001, and a slightly less funky nose, but still
> showing the Provencal panoply of aromas, becoming more peppery as the
> wine opened. It struck me as a more modern style, very pleasant and
> well structured with a long life ahead.

That's good to hear, Bill. I've got 5 bottles of this sitting in the cave.

Nice tasting! Thanks for all the useful updates.

Mark Lipton
--
alt.food.wine FAQ: http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

On Sep 17, 11:40*am, Mark Lipton > wrote:
> Bill S. wrote:
> > 2000 Vieux Donjon – dark with a spicy peppery nose with the first of
> > what I’d characterize as garrigue. After some time in the glass the
> > wine the nose changed to a dustier almost chalky version, though still
> > with the pepper. *This also drinks quite well today but there is no
> > rush. *Wish I’d loaded up a bit more, but I’d already stashed a couple
> > of cases of the really excellent 1998, so must have given in to a
> > completely uncharacteristic bout of fiscal sensibility when this one
> > hit the stores.
>
> I loved this wine at release, as one of the last remaining
> traditionalists in CdP, but alas they've since gone over to the Dark
> Side and hired an oenologist who's tarted their wines up horribly.
> Luckily, I have a couple of the '00 sitting in the cellar.
>
>
>
> > 2000 Vieux Telegraphe La Crau – sweet anise in the nose as well as a
> > hint of Rhone funkiness, but mostly it showed sweet in the nose and
> > even sweeter on palate. No rush but good now.
>
> Good to hear, Bill.
>
>
>
> > 2001 Pegau – dark with a serious stinky peppery Rhone nose (the horse
> > was put away wet after a long ride), but also reminding me of a leg of
> > lamb with herbs de Provence and garlic, full body, amazingly smooth
> > and ready and far better than the last bottle we had which must have
> > been heat damaged at some point.
>
> When I tasted this side-by-side with the '00 years ago, I preferred the
> '01 for its better structure and balance. *Was that evident in your
> tasting? *I've got a few bottles of this, too.
>
>
>
> > 2001 Dom. La Milliere Cuvee Unique – a new one on me, but that isn’t
> > surprising given the array of small producers out there. *Slightly
> > stinky nose, an harmonious wine that picked up more fruit in the nose
> > as it opened, but old style with some of the animal elements that
> > added interest.
>
> This is a North Berkeley import. *In my experience, it's typically a
> lighter, earlier-drinking CdP, but doesn't display signs of NBI's usual
> "barrel program."
>
>
>
> > 2000 Pegau – fun to be able to compare two vintages. *Dark with more
> > tannin than the 2001, and a slightly less funky nose, but still
> > showing the Provencal panoply of aromas, becoming more peppery as the
> > wine opened. It struck me as a more modern style, very pleasant and
> > well structured with a long life ahead.
>
> That's good to hear, Bill. *I've got 5 bottles of this sitting in the cave.
>
> Nice tasting! *Thanks for all the useful updates.
>
> Mark Lipton
> --
> alt.food.wine FAQ: *http://winefaq.cwdjr.net

Thanks for notes, Bill.
I have a lone '00 VD that I think I'll leave alone.
A couple of the '03 Usseglios, think your assessment is right on.

Sounds like an awesome tasting - thanks for the notes.