'98 CDPs

[brappy]

I'm not sure how many of you cellar Châteauneuf-du-Pape but I was lucky enough to taste through 10 '98s. Although I did not take notes, I did rank them and here are the findings:

1. Les Secret des Sabon, Domaine Roger Sabon et fils
2. Domaine du Pegau, Cuvee da Capo
3. Boisrenard
4. Le Vieux Donjon
5. Domaine de Marcoux, Vieille Vignes
6. Vieux Telegraphe "La Crau"
7. Domaine de la Mordoree
8. Reserve des Celestins
9. Domaine Font de Michelle, Cuvee Etienne Gonnet
10. Les Cailloux, Cuvee Centenaire

Wines 8-10 were great wines but seemed to have not fully awoken from thier sleep. Wines 4-7 were wide awake and showing beautifully. Wines 2 and 3 were stunning. These wines are at the point where you get excited and simply can't get enough. Les Secret des Sabon was just short of a wine moment for me. The balance was exact. I could've just sat for hours with my nose in the glass. This bottle was the PERFECT CdP. This wine excited me. And I liken that to when I was a child waiting on Christmas Eve just dreaming of the gifts the next day.

So, if any of you have these wines, I hope this helps.

mark

[winoweenie]

Fine notes Brappie-poo. Have a few of them suckers resting comfy-cozy in the cellar. WW

[Thomas]

Mark,

You make me want to be a restaurateur!

That was quite a year in the Rhone; '99 wasn't too far behind, and I don't mean in months...

[dananne]

Thanks for the notes. I've been wondering about a few of my '98s.

[Oenotheque]

Wow a Rhone post that isn't about Cali Syrah Amazing! Good to see there are some other Rhone Rangers out there. That must have been an amazing tasting, some pretty impressive stuff on there. I was wondering about the Donjon, where is that drinking or how far away is it. I have a couple bottles that have been taunting me down in the cellar.

[winoweenie]

Had the Donjon about 6 months ago with some friends in San Diego. Needs another 2-4 but was outsatanding then. WW

[Kcwhippet]

I always thought the Rhone Rangers were the ones that made the Cali Syrah (and other Rhone varietals). At least, that's who they've been the times we've attended the annual Rhone Rangers event at Ft. Mason in San Francisco. Of course, the French Rhone winemakers have been at HdR in Paso, but they're not known as the Rhone Rangers.

[brappy]

I agree with WW. Although I would lean towards needing another 4 yrs as opposed to 2. But then again, he would know better as I'm sure he's had this wine ('98)a couple of times where as - I have not.

[winoweenie]

Randy Graham would be displeased to see his monicker used wrongly. WW