Domaine Bois de Boursan
Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, Rhône, France
Enjoyed while a bit run down with some sort of cold (not Covid, not yet..!), but that didn’t prevent this knockout old-school Châteauneuf-du-Pape from leaving a lasting impression of perfectly mature southern Rhône on my palate. A deep ruby hue with some bricking at the ages give an already youthful appearance to this 15 year-old wine.
On opening, the nose had a lot of brett which tamed after an hour in the decanter, revealing savoury scents of dry cherry, game, charred wood and leather along with the faintest sweet hint of cherry liqueur, which for the discerning blind taster would place the wine in this AOC. On the palate, the immediate sensation is the tannins - wow! - which are fine grained but by no means mellow, providing great power to the wine’s gamey body. Plum, cherry, vanilla and orange bitters are the dominant flavours here, with a woodsy finish showing reasonable length.
A one-off bottle for me, this is showing very well now and could be fun to try with a little more age still. But the great appeal of this wine was its interest value as a CNDP from a top drawer vintage holding up super well after 15 years.
Enjoyed while a bit run down with some sort of cold (not Covid, not yet..!), but that didn’t prevent this knockout old-school Châteauneuf-du-Pape from leaving a lasting impression of perfectly mature southern Rhône on my palate. A deep ruby hue with some bricking at the ages give an already youthful appearance to this 15 year-old wine.
On opening, the nose had a lot of brett which tamed after an hour in the decanter, revealing savoury scents of dry cherry, game, charred wood and leather along with the faintest sweet hint of cherry liqueur, which for the discerning blind taster would place the wine in this AOC. On the palate, the immediate sensation is the tannins - wow! - which are fine grained but by no means mellow, providing great power to the wine’s gamey body. Plum, cherry, vanilla and orange bitters are the dominant flavours here, with a woodsy finish showing reasonable length.
A one-off bottle for me, this is showing very well now and could be fun to try with a little more age still. But the great appeal of this wine was its interest value as a CNDP from a top drawer vintage holding up super well after 15 years.
Exactly what CNDP should be. Red fruit, black olive, lavender, freshly butchered meat, sage. Seamless. Absolutely delicious and super convenient out of a split. Recent bottle shop find and I’m going back today to clear em out.
Exactly what CNDP should be. Red fruit, black olive, lavender, freshly butchered meat, sage. Seamless. Absolutely delicious and super convenient out of a split. Recent bottle shop find and I’m going back today to clear em out.
Dec 25th, 2020
Old school style of CDP. Reminds me of Burgundy.
Old school style of CDP. Reminds me of Burgundy.
May 12th, 2020Great year. Great old school wine. Lovely and grippy.
Great year. Great old school wine. Lovely and grippy.
Oct 20th, 2019
Really lovable CDP. Pepper, stewed blackberry, rust, very balanced tannins. Not too big... not too small. Just right.
Really lovable CDP. Pepper, stewed blackberry, rust, very balanced tannins. Not too big... not too small. Just right.
Apr 15th, 2018
Dark red. Powerful dark fruit and pungent floral qualities on the nose, along with hints of licorice and succulent herbs. In a weighty style for the vintage, offering palate-coating cherry preserve and black raspberry flavors that turn sweeter as the wine opens up. Dusty tannins build steadily on a long, chewy finish that leaves bitter cherry and blueberry notes behind. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, December 2019)
Dark red. Powerful dark fruit and pungent floral qualities on the nose, along with hints of licorice and succulent herbs. In a weighty style for the vintage, offering palate-coating cherry preserve and black raspberry flavors that turn sweeter as the wine opens up. Dusty tannins build steadily on a long, chewy finish that leaves bitter cherry and blueberry notes behind. (Josh Raynolds, Vinous, December 2019)
Give me a straw and I'll be set for the day and into the night. Co-fermentation kind of blew my mind.
Give me a straw and I'll be set for the day and into the night. Co-fermentation kind of blew my mind.
1 person found it helpfulOct 22nd, 2014
At 10 years old this is showing first signs of maturity. Color has changed a bit, palate is perfect combo of earthy wet leaves, pure Grenache fruit and minerals. A touch of bear detracts. So rare to find CDP without heat. Beaucastel usually can pull it off. Rayas as well.
At 10 years old this is showing first signs of maturity. Color has changed a bit, palate is perfect combo of earthy wet leaves, pure Grenache fruit and minerals. A touch of bear detracts. So rare to find CDP without heat. Beaucastel usually can pull it off. Rayas as well.
1 person found it helpfulNov 2nd, 2013