You can think of the red wines of Chateauneuf as being like red Burgundies that are built on a bigger scale, and this wine really fits this description. Concentrated, subtle and silky, it gracefully flows over the palate feeling so much lighter than it really is. There's a hint of chocolate, but the red fruit aromas dominate right the way to the end of the very long finish. JS
The brilliant 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Tradition (made from 80% Grenache and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and other assorted authorized varieties) is brilliant. Gorgeous notes reminiscent of an open-air Provencal fruit and vegetable market jump from the glass of this deep plum/purple-colored wine. The wine is expansive, savory, very fleshy, and totally disarming in its explosive aromatics and lush, opulent flavors. The better-than-average acids, due to the cool growing year, give it uplift and vibrancy, which nicely buttress the wine’s full-bodied power and substance. This is a beauty to drink over the next 15 or so years. RP