Category Archives: France

2010 Bosquet des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape

colonelgrape: 93. This bottle didn’t wow me like the 2007 but this is a quality bottle. 2010 was a very strong year and this bottle is findable at $35-45. With top producers selling for $100+ this is a crazy good value. Tight and young, full bodied, black raspberry/cherry/and currant. Classic Rhone spices and earth. This is more in line with a typical CdP wheras the 2007 was more unique. It was approachable now but I think this will drink better in 5-10 years. For the price I’d recommend a case and cellaring it.

MobyGrape: 90. What a difference a few years make! If you’re anything like me, you scoff at the snots that talk about “how much better the 2007 was than the 2008, and Buffy, can you gas up the jet? I think I’ll weekend at the estate in Monaco!”. Most of the time I think they’re full of it. Sadly, I have to admit that it’s true. The 2007 is night and day compared to this 2010. They had some similar notes of #2 pencil but this one wasn’t as earthy and deliciously grungy. Still a great drink though. Now somebody find Buffy, the jet needs gas!

Vin Bin Hopkinton Grand Opening

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Our friends at Vin Bin opened their new store in Hopkinton last month and had the grand opening this past weekend. They had great selection of 40 wines and various cheeses from around the world to sample and of course Grapestorm was there. In true Grapestorm fashion we got the best number possible…randomly. The couple in front of us got #68 so we immediately looked at eachother, giggled like small children, and grabbed our glasses. The store was generous and the first 100 groups got a nice Riedel wine glass to taste with and keep. We weren’t the only ones who thought it was funny as every bottle of wine we claimed we got a comment. Some from people you’d expect, others completely out of left field. It’s good to see we aren’t the only wine lovers who enjoy a good immature laugh. The store was packed with over 300 people showing up so we had to do some serious crowd maneuvering but we managed to taste all 40 bottles. They were offering 20% off every bottle in the store so we picked up 12 bottles from the tasting and 2 bottles of 1995 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape I found in back. Overall it was a great time and I highly recommend checking out the store if you’re in the area.

After 3 hours of wine tasting I thought it would be a good idea to open a bottle when we got home. We got mostly whites but we did get a few nice table reds including this 2010 Chateau Joinin Bordeaux. This is a regional wine so it’s a blend of many different Bordeaux grapes but mainly Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc and it was very inexpensive at $10. Most young Bordeaux needs plenty of cellar time before it’s approachable but the regional wines are often ready to drink sooner and this 2010 was ready. 2010 was a historic vintage in Bordeaux so it’s no suprise even the table wines are good. Sadly after a long day of wine tasting I don’t remember much else about it other than it was delicious and a good value. So was opening it actually a good idea? Questionable but if you can find some for under $15 pick up a couple bottles to have in the cellar for a casual night.

2010 Domaine Galevan Chateauneuf du Pape Saint-Georges

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Chateauneuf du Pape translates to House of the Pope and with the election of Pope Francis we thought it would be appropriate to enjoy a CdP with dinner the other night. This is our second bottle from our most recent Wine Library order and it’s a 100% Grenache CdP from Domaine Galevan which is a small yet well known estate in southern Rhone. The 2009, 2010, and 2011 have all earned critical acclaim which has driven the price up to $80 a bottle however I was able to grab it for $60.

colonelgrape: 95. Definitely a younger wine…a little rough around the edges but the foundation is strong and this wine is going to round into shape in the next few years. Being 100% Grenache it has a slightly different taste than other CdP’s. Dark fruit, leather, and earth come through on the palate with a nice long finish. It’s very drinkable now but this is a wine worth cellaring as it’s only going to get better and better. Every 2010 CdP or CdR I’ve had so far has been excellent…if you see any 2010 from a good producer at a good price snatch up all you can, the price is only going to go up.

MobyGrape: 88. Habemus Papam! In honor of a new pope, it seemed only fitting to have a wine with a Pope hat on it. It was carefully selected in the basement after a series of secretive meetings and, once chosen, I set dinner on fire and smoke filled the kitchen. Maybe that’s not quite what happened but whatever, the wine was well-timed and tasty. It was young and not quite as smooth as some of the cdp’s we’ve had, but it was delicious nonetheless.

2008 Chateau Mont-Redon Cotes du Rhone

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2008 was a notoriously inconsistent year in the Rhone Valley. You’ll often fine this vintage at a much lower price than the famous 2007 or 2010 vintages. While the wines are inconsistent this gives the potential to find a great wine for a bargain price. The best bet is to stick with the more well known producers in these off vintages. Chateay Mont-Redon is one of our favorites in Rhone and I’m always willing to give them a try. While we were in Switzerland we had a 2008 Vieux Telegraph Chateauneuf that was out of this world.

colonelgrape: 80. This wasn’t the super rare amazing 2008 we were looking for but it wasn’t bad. Considering the $12 price I was happy with the quality but I’ve had better Cotes du Rhone at this price point from the 2007, 2009, and 2010 vintages. We absolutely love the 2007 Chateau Mont-Redon Chateauneuf du-Pape and next time I see their CdR from another vintage I’ll be sure to pounce on it. If you see a 2008 and you’re looking for a table wine for an every day dinner this wine works just fine. If you’re trying to impress someone, try the 07 or the 10.

MobyGrape: 80. I once again epically failed a blind wine taste test. But since whether I get it right or wrong never changes the outcome, (meaning I still get to drink it all), I’m not terribly broken up about it. It smelled a little like foot, and had a rustic, earthy quality to it. I hope it wasn’t expensive, I’d consider it a perfectly fine wine to crack out for a non-special occasion. It was such a non-special occasion I can’t even remember what we ate with it.

2006 Les Vignes D’Alexandre Chateauneuf du Pape

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Our first…and our last…foray into inexpensive Chateauneuf du Pape. I found this bottle at Wegman’s for $27 and while that may not seem inexpensive, it is for CdP which runs $40+ for a decenet bottle. CdP producers typically focus on Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre but in the more inexpensive bottles you’ll see the focus shift to the lesser grapes of the region leading to inferior wines. In the long run if you see a bottle that’s priced significantly below the normal price range for that type there’s probably a reason. You might find a diamond in the rough but more often than not you’re going to be disappointed. When searching for value wines I recommend doing some research online or talking with trusted employees at the store.

colonelgrape: 64. I have to give this wine a below average rating. It’s not appalling, but it’s simply my least favorite Chateauneuf I’ve tasted to date. Not much to add to my initial statement other than if you’re going to drink CdP pay close attention to vintages, years, producers, and price. These are pricey wines right now and I’d recommend spending the extra $15-$20 to get a quality bottle.

MobyGrape: 75. I was underwhelmed by this one. I’ve been so spoiled by the Colonel giving me great Chateauneuf’s I was surprised. There wasn’t anything really wrong with it, just didn’t get me going like some of the others we’ve tasted. I still ran around the house yelling “Chateauneuf du Pape!” over and over though, so at least there was that…