Happiness is a Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Written: Apr 09 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Big and full of traditional CdP style
Cons: Not a One
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| stonehousellc's Full Review: Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf Du Pape 1997 |
Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Perhaps one of the best-known appellations in all of wine. It is, in particular, the name of a wine and the village from which that wine comes. Located in Provence and classified as a Rhone, the town and its vines were once the property of the Pope, thus the name. In point of fact, for most of the 1300s Chateauneuf, not Rome, served as home to the Pope and the Catholic Church. The area remained a Papal Possession until being “repatriated” at the close of the French Revolution. That’s it for history. While I love it, I try never to write it.
The red wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape (hereinafter referred to as CdP) are blended from combinations of the regions primary grapes Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Muscardin, Counoise, Vaccarese and Terret Noir. The specific blend used for each winery is a matter of tradition and the current wine maker’s choice. For the most part, a CdP is a wine to be enjoyed starting at release and ending somewhere between five and seven years later. The standards of the style call for fat wines full of fruit. Prolonged cellaring tends to rob them of their essence.
Of the many great wineries of the CdP, my personal favorite is the Domaine du Vieux Telegraphe. I tend to buy, beg, borrow or steal as many full and over-sized bottles as I can upon release and have never found the Domaine to be wanting. To be sure, some years have been better than others, with the ’92 and ’95 being the best of my experience. But the ’97, the vintage you’ll most likely find at you wine merchant now, is also an exceptional and highly drinkable offering.
I served this wine at a dinner party last night. Paired with a fairly hearty lamb shank dish, the wine more than held its own. An inky dark purple, the nose of this wine is heavy with plums and cherries. The flavors of plum, currant and black berries predominate and the finish is full of fresh turned earth and cherry blossoms.
When looking to pair a wine with food, it is most often the best idea to look at the traditional foods served in the region the wine or style of wine originated. Foods of the Rhone tend to be hearty farm foods. Stews and other one-dish meals that can be carried out to the field and served fairly easily seem to be the norm. I’ve rarely been disappointed pairing a CdP with rib sticking beef, pork or lamb dishes. It is also suitable for pairing with duck, goose, quail or other game birds. For those who hunt, I’ve had great success in the past serving CdPs with both venison and wild boar, each a tricky proposition otherwise.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
stonehousellc
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Location: Nashville, TN
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