Wine: 2009 Saint Prefert Chateauneuf du Pape Collecion Charles Giraud
Region: Rhone, France
Sokolin Price: $64.99/btl
Rating: 92-94 RP

When we had our first sip of the spectacular and mind-numbing 2007 Southern Rhone wines upon release, we were extremely impressed. Not only was there power and massive fruit, but a sense of balance and elegance that was not overbearing. So time rolls on, and we look forward, as we always do in the wine business, and hope for stellar repeats. Next, came the 2008 vintage, which in our opinion was rather average and seemed to be on target with a vintage score of only 86 points based on the Wine Advocate's vintage chart. 

Then enters the 2009 vintage, and we hear amazing things coming from the Southern Rhone. So we rummage through the inventory and find a wine that we tasted and loved in 2007 and found their new 2009 release, the Domaine Saint Prefert Chateauneuf du Pape Collecion Charles Giraud.  While the name may not be as familiar as Beaucastel, Rayas, Clos des Papes, Marcoux and Janasse to name a few, we feel this domaine is coming into its own.

Robert Parkers says "One of the up and coming superstar estates in Chateauneuf du Pape is that of Isabel Ferrando's Domaine Saint-Prefert. Her 2007s are future legends, with one perfect wine (the Collection Charles Giraud), and two nearly perfect efforts (the Reserve Auguste Favier and the 100% Grenache cuvee sold under the Isabel Ferrando label, the Chateauneuf du Pape Colombis)..."

We anticipated that the wine would be massive, so we paired the wine with a dry aged and heavily salted, flame grilled skirt steak and an incredible risotto cake stuffed with mozzarella cheese, breaded with panko bread crumbs and then lightly deep fried in peanut oil. Upon opening the bottle and decanting, we immediately were blown away by the essence of dark cherries and blackberries, all with a great hint of earth and spice that inundated our noses.

We guess we only thought we were ready to challenge this monster. The wine is a blockbuster, composed of 60% Grenache (from 80-year-old vines) and 40% Mourvedre (from 60-year-old vines). It was full bodied with a 90+ second finish. You had to find your way through all the fruit, glycerin and complex flavors to realize that even though it is very powerful, it shows its pedigree and potential for excellence.  There is no doubt the wine is very well made. We definitely agree with Robert Parker that the wine could benefit from a few years of cellaring, but honestly who can wait? 

It was a tremendous experience and shed light for us on the new 2009 vintage. It was actually hard to talk about the incredible meal, but the wine did most certainly soften and benefit with the food pairing.

Recommendation:  You must experience the new 2009 Chateauneuf du Papes. Not only do these wines have tremendous "Old World" pedigree but their price to points ratio is implausible when compared to Bordeaux or even some of the new Burgundy releases. With fall now upon us and the cooler weather flowing in, there is really no better time to stock up on some great full-bodied red wines.  We hope you try them and are sure you will enjoy them!

Our Score - 96+
Current Drinkability - Solid B