It was our last night in our beloved apartment, and I wanted to drink something special for this evening. With boxes everywhere, it was time to turn off the wine cabinet and pack up the wine and also the time to make the decision on what wine to open.
I had been reading on Parker's website about the 2008 Clos Des Papes. I'd wanted to try the wine for sometime, but had the inclination that it was too young. The 2008s were not the heralded vintage like 2007 and surely not as stellar as the new 2009s and 2010s, however there were some amazing values. I love the Rhone. In fact, I am beginning to think that it's my new favorite region. Maybe not so much for the absolute mind blowing experiences that you can get from well-aged Bordeaux, but certainly an everyday drinking wine with tons of character.
I opened the bottle well before we had dinner. The decanter was packed, so I had to let the wine breathe in the bottle. I wanted to make sure that there was enough time to let the tannins blow off. When I poured the first glass, about two hours after opening, I was taken back by the nose! Powerful aromas of kirsch and anise tickled my senses and a slight hint of campfire. I also picked up a cedary component that was intriguing. When I tasted the wine, it was massive and not ready to drink yet. So we waited. We ended dinner and went back to the bottle. This time, the wine had lost the rough edges and was smooth as ice. Bright red fruits and maybe some blueberry essence poured over my tongue and reminded me why I love CDP! All in all, fantastic and one for the cellar. I wouldn't recommend drinking it yet unless you have about four hours to decant and let it open up.
If you have a chance and see it around, pick up a bottle or two and lay them down for a special night!