2000 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Papet

While starting to evolve on the nose and showing a smidge of maturity, the 2000 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Cuvée du Papet is still beautifully dense and youthful on the palate, delivering classic aromas and flavors of meat juice, iron, garrigue, and tobacco. Medium to full bodied and very focused and dense texturally, the wine shows a solid core of fruit that needs another 3-5 years to truly flesh out. As is common with this cuvee, it’s a classic, very age-worthy Châteauneuf.

The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape La Cuvee du Papet (only made in 1998, 1990, and 1989) boasts a dense plum/purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of balsam wood, dried herbs, black cherries, currants, plums, and figs. Full-bodied, powerful, and tannic, it is not a Chateauneuf du Pape for those wanting immediate gratification as it requires 3-5 years of cellaring. I am not convinced it is a profound as the 1998 or 1990, but it is a top-flight effort that should age for two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020. Importers: David Hinkle, North Berkeley Imports, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 336-9880, and Ideal Wines, Medford, MA; tel. (617) 395-3300

The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape La Cuvee du Papet (only made in 1998, 1990, and 1989) boasts a dense plum/purple color as well as a sweet bouquet of balsam wood, dried herbs, black cherries, currants, plums, and figs. Full-bodied, powerful, and tannic, it is not a Chateauneuf du Pape for those wanting immediate gratification as it requires 3-5 years of cellaring. I am not convinced it is a profound as the 1998 or 1990, but it is a top-flight effort that should age for two decades. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2020. Feb 2003, www.robertparker.com