2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Pignan
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Tasting notes
The flamboyant 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réservé Pignan is now drinking at peak, unfolding with jammy red fruits, kirsch and stemmy nuances. Forest floor adds more complexity. Full-bodied, powerful and concentrated, the 2003 carries a breath of heat on the otherwise composed finish. What always strikes me with these wines is that despite the lofty alcohol—likely hovering around 16%—they remain immediately seductive, and before long, the bottle is gone.
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Robert Parker
Robert Parker
More reviews and scores
Deep and reserved on the nose compared to the ’04, the 2003 Château Rayas Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pignan Reserve shows subtle cherry liqueur, roasted herb, licorice, toast, and earth aromas on the nose. It opens up beautifully in the glass and shows additional sweetness and complexity over the evening. Medium to full bodied on the palate and showing more density than the ’04, as well as a smooth, silky texture, ripe fruit, and a long, rich finish, this is a very well done wine that shows the best of the vintage. It should drink well over the next 10-12 years.
Probably the greatest one ever made was the 1990, but the 2003 Pignan Chateauneuf du Pape is strikingly good. There are about 7,000 bottles of it, and I would probably go as far as to say that it is the best Pignan from this estate since the 1990. Dense ruby to the rim with a glorious nose of framboise, black raspberries, sweet cherries, and kirsch, the wine is full-bodied, broad, high in alcohol, but rich, chewy, and totally captivating and seductive. Drink it over the next 12-14 years. Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400
Probably the greatest one ever made was the 1990, but the 2003 Pignan Chateauneuf du Pape is strikingly good. There are about 7,000 bottles of it, and I would probably go as far as to say that it is the best Pignan from this estate since the 1990. Dense ruby to the rim with a glorious nose of framboise, black raspberries, sweet cherries, and kirsch, the wine is full-bodied, broad, high in alcohol, but rich, chewy, and totally captivating and seductive. Drink it over the next 12-14 years. Feb 2006, www.robertparker.com
About the producer
Ch. Rayas is a cult name in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The wines – pure, silken expressions of Grenache with distinctive perfume – are revered for their singularity and fiercely collected. Made by Emmanuel Reynaud and renowned for their ageability, they have become some of the region's most sought-after.