2008 Chateauneuf du Pape

Showing well and certainly a success in the vintage, the 2008 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a classic wine that delivers loads of blackberry and cherry styled fruit that’s intermixed with notions of cured meats, ground pepper, licorice, wild flowers, and garrigue on the nose. This medium-bodied, balanced, and overall fresh Châteauneuf-du-Pape has plenty of fruit, a rounded, supple texture, and a clean finish. Still youthful, it should hit maturity in another 1-3 years, and drink well through 2018.

Deep, bright red. Cherry and plum aromas are deeper and more brooding than I expected from this vintage, with notes of cracked pepper and black tea coming up with air. Broad and fleshy in texture, with sweet dark berry flavors and slightly coarse tannins. Finishes with good focus and grip, the peppery note repeating.

Honeyed nose. Pleasant, round, honeysuckle fruit with sufficiently well-integrated acidity. (JR)