TNs:CDP Night

CDP NIGHT - Song Ling Building (7/7/2021)

Have not had one of these heavy-hitting CDP themes for a long time - wines were delicious with take away Middle-Eastern meats from Pistachio Grill
APPETISERS

  • 2017 Domaine Heitz-Lochardet Meursault Les Gruyaches - France, Burgundy, Côte de Beaune, Meursault
    I really enjoyed this. A touch of heat aside, this was a yummy, rather classic expression of Meursault. The nose had shades of butter and cream and hazelnuts along with a notes of bread fruit and melon. Ripe, but not overtly sweet smelling. The palate was where this shone though, with juicy gobs of acidity enlivening ripe notes of red apples shading into stone fruit and melon territory, and then a lift of lemony acidity leading into a lightly spiced and mineral finish. There was a really good sense of weight and presence to this, especially for a village, but it came together in a really effortless, almost mischievously delicious way. It was impeccably balanced and really nicely defined too, so it never ever felt blowsy or out of shape in spite of its ripeness and weight. Lovely stuff. Drinking well young, but with some upside yet to come over the next few years. (92 pts.)
  • 2013 Domaine de L’Arlot Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Les Suchots - France, Burgundy, Côte de Nuits, Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru
    A quality wine, if perhaps just a touch tight today. I really liked the nose here - earth and meat, dark cherries and plums, a dash of violets, then lovely wafts of Vosne spice and mineral around the edges. Very nice. The palate felt just a tad tight and unyielding when first poured - made me guess Vosne village when blinded. Thankfully it opened up and put on a little weight with time, showing classic Vosne shades of black cherries and plums infused with lovely notes of wood spice and a little twist of mineral pulling away into a well-cut finish. Tightly packed, with fine tannins and fresh acidity forming a fine-boned structure behind the fruit, this felt like a really defined, well-shaped package. Lots of quality here, and I really love the classic shape and cut of it. It just felt a tad stingy tonight - I think this will really come into its own in the next 5-6 years. (93 pts.)

CDP

  • 2012 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    This was delicious. Quite a blockbuster in its youth, it has calmed down quite nicely to evolve into a really delightful mouthful. The nose surprisingly showed more Grenache than Mourvèdre or Syrah, with lifted notes of dark cherries and berries, a touch of violets and gentle spice, and then a lift of dried lavendar and just that hint of garrigue. Very nice indeed. Really nice on the palate too. Fresh, lively, with a good lick of acidity and fine tannins running through clean-cut flavours of black cherries and dark berries laced through with spice, garrigue, dried lavender, and then just that little kiss of licorice around the edges. Lovely finish too, with a kiss of powdery tannins and shades of exotic spice dashed over a bed of sweet plums and black cherries. Very nice indeed, and just starting to drink well. This really does have its best years ahead of it though - I would keep it in the cellar for another 6-8 years for best effect. (93 pts.)
  • 2010 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    Too young, but boy this was good. The nose was very attractive, with deep wafts of dark plums and black cherries, damp earth and meat, garrigue and dried lavender - very nice. Smelt like Provence. I liked the palate too. A touch deep and inky at the moment, but boy was it delicious, with deep, deep flavours of plums and black cherries and dark berries seasoned with layers of spice and violets,lavender and garrigue unfolding into a beautifully long, powerful finish. Absolutely delicious. Just on the side of primary even after a decade, but this was drinking well even tonight. I would leave it aside for another 8-10 years though. (93 pts.)
  • 2000 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    Very, very good indeed. And while young, this was drinking pleasantly now. The nose was classic CDP, with notes of garrigue and dried herb, lavender and violets, damp soil, than black cherries, dark berries and plums - lovely stuff. Provence in a glass I thought. The palate was a tad behind maybe, coming across a touch primary almost, with bursts of sweet cherries and berries pierced with notes of powdered spice, garrigue and dried flowers. Still a bit tight and awkward at points maybe, with fine tannins and shades of bright acidity sticking out, but otherwise, this was truly delicious stuff. Deep, powerful, effortless. Grest finish too, with a little rasp of powdery tannins leading into lovely savoury finish, with earth and meat seasoned with a little dash of spice and mineral just unfolding across the back palate. Wow. I really liked this. Quite the complete wine, if just a bit of an awkward place in its aging curve - this will be beautiful in another 5-6 years’. (94 pts.)
  • 1990 Pierre Dupond Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Tiare - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    The sole unknown maker in the midst of much more famous names on the night, but man - this super yummy. It had a killer nose, with drifts of sous bois, rose petals, sweet red fruit, with flecks of earth and meat. A sweet, luscious bouquet. Very nice. It felt rather advanced on the palate, but quite delightful nonetheless, with bright, fresh flavours of cherries and red berries dancing across the mouth on a bed dried flowers, damp earth and and just that soupçon of spice trailing away into a velvety finish. Drinking absolutely beautifully now, with the tannins having softened into a silken robe, but with just enough acidity keeping it nicely alive. Lovely. (93 pts.)
  • 1998 Château de la Gardine Châteauneuf-du-Pape l’Immortelle - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    Decent, if slightly distinct from the other CDPs on the night. The nose was rather sweeter than I would expect from a mature Southern Rhone, with notes of kirsch and blackberry, earth and a little touched of violets and spice. Quite modern. The palate was rich and quite forward, with ripe flavours of blackberries, black cherries and plums soaked with a bit of spice and earth. Bright acidity and a touch of fine tannins rounded the picture off, just before a plummy finish set in. Not quite as elegant and effortless as some of the other bottles on show, but this was pleasant enough and drinking pretty well now. (91 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

1 Like

Nice - I love a good CDP tasting night.