TN: 2005 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape

2005 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/6/2010)
Medium body, medium garnet in color; very classy, reserved raspberry and light cherry notes, with a fabulous herbal underbrush character flowing through the finish; very nice balance, with some fine tannins, nice acidity. After so many over the top 07s, this is a refreshingly classic CdP. (93 pts.)

Posted from CellarTracker

Thanks for the note. I have opened one last year and had similar impressions but thought that it was just nowehere from being ready… The fruit was more obvious than what I can read from your note and the wine seemed about to enter a shutdown phase… Seems yours was still quite open.

Michael, I don’t think this is showing any signs of sleeping at all. I only opened it to see if I should buy a few more, as they are around right now at reasonable prices, particularly relative to 07 (and I much prefer this 05 to 07).
Cheers

I enjoyed an ‘04 Charvin at Major Franks’ house - it was totally open for business, multi-layered, complex, great fruit, and just a fantastic wine. I would definitely put this in the camp of the more ‘classic’ styling of CdP

I agree. The 2005 Charvin, which I had twice in the last year… is awesome.

It was WIDE open then and I think it’s one of those wines that will evolve nicely without much sleep time.

I had the 2007 Charvin as well, and while good… I didn’t hum like 2005. The only thing I can say for Charvin… it’s one of the few CDP’s that for me NEEDS air. Most CDP’s like air but can be pleasurable raw… the Charvin needs to breathe to not soften, but to relax and pull together.

I would buy LOTS of this wine if I had the dough.

Disclaimer: I don’t get overly excited about CDP… I prefer balance to power…and that’s what I think of Charvin.

Thanks for the note. I have yet to crack the 05. The 04 is certainly a great wine IMO. Looking forward to tasting the 05. Partly due to $$ issues but I haven’t had many 07s. The 3 or so I have tasted did not work for me.

Jason

If you like 04: buy 05, not 07. Better wine, better price. 05 is a better version of 04.

And what of the '06? I have two bottles that keep staring at me begging me to drink them but I’m trying to be patient.

Catching up with this classic, on day 2 after popping & pouring with a bunch of lamb loin chops marinating. The 2005 Charvin [CNDP] is still dark ruby in color, no lightening at the edges, with a nose of licorice and fennel, and a long 40+ second finish. I get dark plums on the palate. I liked it better on day 1, but air has helped the tannins. It showed some grip at age 15 for my tastes, but those have rounded out with a day in the fridge. I was surprised to find this in the cellar; it looks like I picked it up at MacArthurs on release and I didn’t think I had any of this year. A- and I like it better than recent 2000 and 2001s.

04 through 08 (leaving out the 07) are my go to Charvin these days and they are all different. 04 is the most minerally and structured and has been from the beginning. I find the 05 vibrant. The tannins, as with other 05s, troubled me early on but they have resolved nicely. 06 is the most open and easy Charvin. Based on the fact that I have never yet had a Charvin that was over the hill (including my last 90, which I had last month), I’d say all these wines have a long life ahead of them. They are long past their shut down periods, but 04 and 05 do have some structure to them. I haven’t tasted the 07 for a couple of years, at which point, oddly for a Charvin, it was still too young, with very forward tannins. He did nicely in 03, so I have hope, but it will always be an 07. If you can find the 08 for a good price, buy it. It has been drinking beautifully for some time (Charvin always does well in so-called lesser vintages) and was always underpriced for that reason. I should say the the 11, which i tried again last year, is also starting to drink well now.

Cool to read, I just grabbed some 04 and 05 Charvin off of WineBid for dirt cheap.

You will have to tell me what you think of the 05. I have some and they have been disappointing.