2003 Chateauneuf du Pape

Medium red. Ripe, powerful red berry fruit aromas accented by smoke and roasted coffee. A big, round, dense wine with a flavor of jammy raspberry. Quite tannic but the finishing impression is one of ripe, dense, lingering berry fruit.

Deep crimson but something not quite clean on the nose. A sweet, juicy start and then a palate that dries out rapidly. Overly simple fruit. I assume this was not a bad bottle as it was poured by the producer personally. Much, much less impressive than the special cuvée below. (JR)

The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits a deep plum/ruby/purple hue as well as fresh, lively, peppery, floral aromas interwoven with scents of garrigue, blueberries, cherries, and earth. Medium to full-bodied with moderate tannin, it should drink well for a decade. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate # 163 Feb 2006