E.Guigal Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2001

[Antti]

Hi,

I just acquired a box of mentioned red wine based on my friend's recomendations and his family connections that allowed me to get it relatively cheaply (?).

To be honest, my (very limited) experience as a friend of wine is concentrated mostly on Spanish regions and I have very little knowledge about wines of Rhone region.

I would like to hear your experiences about the mentioned wine and also some hints about its storage. What would be a suitable time, if I decide to put some bottles away for a while?

I paid EUR 240 for 12 bottles and I'm actually wandering if I managed to get a good deal. Any ideas? (The thing is, however, that alcohol taxation in Finland and transportation expenses make wines pretty expensive up here, so the prices might not be comparable, say, to general European level)

Any ideas about foods suited to be served with this type of wine?

Thank you for your coments (already in advance [img]http://www.wines.com/ubb2/smile.gif[/img].

Best regards,
-Antti /Helsinki, Finland

[Thomas]

I haven't tasted the 2001 but that producer usually lives up to its fine reputation. You should store the wine the way you would store any good red: in a cool place that is not too dry. The wine is young and it should last a number of years with no problem--but again, not having tasted it I couldn't guess at its longevity.

For foods, you can pair the wine with some of the same spicy dishes you would pair a red Spanish wine. It is a big, bold wine, so it goes with bold meats and rich cheeses.

[This message has been edited by foodie (edited 05-09-2003).]