I wonder whether this luxury cuvée of 100% Grenache is the poster-child of the concern over whether these modern wines will age gracefully. This wine has not, Parker’s 94-rating and drinking window projection of 15+ years notwithstanding. I bought a case of this wine on pre-release. It’s been impeccably stored. First five years I had a few bottles, and while young and a little tannic, was really an enjoyable, opulent wine. Fast-forward to about a year or so ago, and my last bottle was showing some bitterness and drying tannins. Given my prior experience with this wine, and more recent experience with the highly-touted 2007, and I chocked it up to one bottle that just did not show well.
No, the 2005 has completely fallen apart. It had about 30 minutes of a moderately decent showing with ripe plummy dark fruits , black licorice and garrigue, marred by some heat, but then devolved into a bitter mess of isopropyl alcohol, creosote char, drying fruits and drying tannins. Fruit is dried out, tannins are dry, finish is bitter. A disaster of a wine.
So my father, a devout advocate of modern Chateauneuf, was the first to comment on the bitterness and drying sensation as the wine evolved. I had remained quiet to see what he would say. Of course, I wondered as well whether my palate had somehow changed over the last 8 or so years, but do not think I had a bad batch. Bought a case, the first bunch showed well, and now two more recent bottles are displaying very poor maturing. I have more of this wine, in addition to more of the '05 base Gigondas, plus the full range of 2007s (which I really liked on release).
PS. I just checked on CT, and clearly I am in the minority view by far as it pertains to this wine.
Ouch. Thx for the note. I was so close to buying some of the 2007 before the WA scores pushed pricing into the stratosphere…glad I didn’t.
That said, the basic CdR can still be a pretty decent QPR contingent on vintage. And I say “contingent on vintage” because the 2011 has the same excruciating tannins you describe in the 2005 HF. 2010 & 2012 are both pretty good though. Otoh, the regular Gigondas…wtf.
And Robert, next time you drink with Dad be a little nicer and open something decent.
While not a card carrying member of the AFWE, my biases are definitely toward traditionally made European wines. Additionally, I am not a fan of 2003 in the Southern Rhone. But I had a completely different experience with the 2003 and 2004 Valbelle several months ago, although both were from mag. The 03 was a bit disjointed at first and the 04 somewhat muted. However both wines developed nicely after an hour in the decanter. The wines were modern but showed no signs of falling apart. In fact just the opposite. Both were balanced and well integrated and showed much better with time in the glass and decanter. Given the structure of the 05s, I am surprised with the way your wine showed.
Is it possible there is another explanation here, such as, a case of wine that had poor exposure? I had ruled that out given a variety of issues. First, the wine showed well for some years after receipt. Second, the bottles are all in pristine condition, not showing any signs of heat exposure along the delivery route from France (which isn’t a conclusive factor). And the wine has been perfectly stored by me since day one. I’m going to try one of the base Gigondas bottles this week.
Robert, this post prompted me to open a 2007 Saint Cosme “Le Claux”. Lots of primary black fruit, fine poised tannins mid-palate, and very clean and pure finish. It will be interesting to see how this evolves not being that familiar with Grenache. If it were a Burgundy another 10 years at least. Cheers Mike
Do you generally like Saint Cosme? I have found even the entry level Gigondas to be marked with oak and overripe since at least the early 00s. When I tasted in his cellars in 02, I found the higher one got in his hierarchy, the more oaky and spoofy it got. I have not tasted any Gigondas cuvee beyond Valbelle, though, in since maybe 05, none higher than the basic cuvee. But maybe your tastes have changed.
I have found that many modern wines do age, but they just age into older versions of modern wines.
Well, no doubt my palate has shifted these last 15 years since I’ve been buying St Cosme (1998 vintage?), and I have shifted away from his wines following 2007, but I don’t think palate was the cause of this poor showing. My father still loves these wines, in fact he just back-ordered some more 2007 CDO (!), but equally found this 2005 Hominis Fides bitter and drying.
Mike - I have some Le Claux and Le Poste as well. Will check in soon.
