2010 Chateauneuf du Pape les Trois Source
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The 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources has entered its prime drinking window, where I suspect it will remain for the next ten years. Prominent tobacco, loamy earth, dried red fruits and a nuance of white mushrooms rise up from the glass. On the palate, the full-bodied 2010 contains well-integrated tannins and boasts balancing freshness, making it all seem so effortless. A long, elegant finish rounds it up.
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(based on 60% grenache): Bright purple. Explosive aromas of dark berry liqueur, potpourri, candied licorice and sandalwood. Lush and expansive, offering sweet blackberry and blueberry flavors and an exotic floral pastille nuance. Closes sappy, sweet and impressively long, with intense lavender and dark berry flavors and harmonious, framing tannins.
The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources comes from the estate’s vineyards planted in sandy soils. About 10,000 bottles have been produced. One of the great wines of the vintage, this unbelievable Chateauneuf is still extremely young and primary. Its opaque purple color is followed by scents of ink, acacia flowers, blueberries, black raspberries and blackberries. While full-bodied, extremely concentrated and massive, the wine is totally harmonious with beautifully integrated acidity, tannin and alcohol (which is no doubt in excess of 16%). Give this 2010 five more years of cellaring and drink it over the following 20-25 years. Those wines under the name DAUMEN are from Jean-Paul Daumen’s negociant operation. Some of them actually emerge from estate fruit that he has declassified from his vineyards. They are limited production, but exceptionally impressive cuvees, so consumers take note. Daumen is one of the most meticulous viticulturists and winemakers in Chateauneuf du Pape. From his cellars in the appellation’s northern sector known as Gres, he has long fashioned some extraordinary Chateauneuf du Papes as well as a small amount of high octane Cotes du Rhone from some of the oldest vines owned by his family. For starters, Daumen’s 2011s are some of the finest wines of the southern Rhone. Yields for both the estate and negociant cuvees averaged a mere 26 hectoliters per hectare, which is well under two tons of fruit per acre. Never one to rest on his already impressive laurels, Daumen has basically renamed his Chateauneuf du Papes to reflect the parcels from which they emanate. As for the new estate Chateauneuf du Papes, no Reserve cuvee was produced, so there are only two offerings. Various American importers, including: T. Edward Wines, Ltd., New York, NY; tel. (212) 233-1504; Route des Vins Imports, LLC, Charleston, SC; tel. (843) 737-0301; VinConnect Inc., CA; tel. (415) 857-5740