I am afraid of this wine. It was a bruiser last time I had it, but it was time to confront my demons, so to speak. The first thing to be noted is that the colour is now a dullish red with some browning. The nose showed an initial burst of red currants, but settled down quickly to show rustic cherries, bright spices, animal hide and some brownness. The palate displayed a pleasant savouriness matched by boozy red fruits, stones and dried herbs. It also has a slippery feel about it and it very easy to drink, though in hindsight it did appear a bit hollow. The wine finishes with a touch of heat. Okay quality, and a reasonably priced with a CdP.
Rated : 86 Points
Tasted : Jul09
Alcohol : 15%
Price : $33
Closure : Cork
Drink : 2009-2010
Source : Cellar
Website : La Bastide Saint Dominique
Lincoln, I’m curious (and somewhat ignorant
: is 15% an unusually high alcohol content for the region?
I did a quick google on “typical Châteauneuf-du-Pape alcohol” and the top few hits were all between 13.5% and 14.5%, but your comments about the slipperiness, the heat and being a bruiser indicate that you found it a bit over the top compared to others. True?
David
yes, a bit over the top. Sometimes you can get away with it, sometimes you cannot….