The lightest in color is the medium ruby-hued 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cornelia Constanza, a sumptuous, sexy cuvee that comes from 85-year-old vines. Made from 100% Grenache, it is aged primarily in tank with about 10% of the Grenache put in small oak. The 2007 and 2005 Cornelia Constanza are out of this world, and the 2009 ranks slightly behind those two offerings. Gorgeously sweet kirsch, licorice, raspberry and strawberry fruit notes jump from the glass of this medium ruby-colored beauty. Full-bodied, round and relatively light on its feet for its high level of glycerin and 15+% alcohol, it is drinking well now and should continue to do so over the next decade.
A rarity in Chateauneuf du Pape, this large estate has one single holding of nearly 75 acres all situated in the lieu-dit called La Solitude, which is adjacent to the famed rocky plateau of La Crau (the earliest maturing and most precocious terroir of the appellation). Most estates’ parcels are spread throughout the appellation, so this is a rare occurrence indeed. This is also one of the oldest estates in Chateauneuf du Pape, tracing its history back to the 13th century. Domaine de la Solitude has been run by the Lancon family for many decades. They were one of the first estates to estate-bottle, and I remember having a prodigious Domaine de la Solitude 1967 that was one of those formative wines that got my attention when I was a college student. They make multiple cuvees and over the last 5 or 6 years, they have shown great amelioration thanks to the efforts of Jean and Michel Lancon. No 2010s were tasted as the proprietors do not like to show unbottled wines, but I imagine they are brilliant given how well they have done in 2009, as well as with the spectacular late-released 2007s.
Importer: David Shiverick, Los Angeles, CA; tel. (213) 483-5900
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