The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Chante Le Merle Vieilles Vignes is a blend of 85% Grenache and the rest equal parts Syrah and Mourvedre from the same parcels as the 2011. The wine is aged primarily in foudres with small percentages of the Syrah and Mourvedre kept in new 600-liter demi-muids. A spectacular effort, it displays a confit of camphor, blueberries, blackberries, black raspberries, lavender and other floral notes. This full-bodied, massive Chateauneuf du Pape is remarkably light on its feet despite what must be 15+% alcohol. Incredibly pure and remarkably intense, this is a tour de force from Nicolas Boiron. It should drink well for two decades.
I have been following the wines of this estate since 1978, when the parents of Nicolas Boiron produced the wines. Nicolas, one of the tallest vignerons in the village, has been in charge for a number of years, and has unquestionably hit pay dirt over recent vintages. While many top-notch wines have emerged from Bosquet des Papes over the last 25 years, I do not think they have ever had a greater vintage than 2010, which has been followed by some of the finest wines of the vintage in 2011. Consumers should be looking out for this domaine’s wines as the quality has soared even higher than it already was. In 34 years of tastings, every time I go back to a wine region I seemingly know extremely well, there are always surprises, both wonderful and disappointing. My recent tasting at Bosquet des Papes ranks as the most remarkable I conducted on my trip to the southern Rhone Valley. For starters, two sleepers of the vintage are the 2011 and 2010 Cotes du Rhones. The Boirons own nearly ten acres of Cotes du Rhone vineyards situated on the other side of Domaine du Marcoux in the northern part of the appellation. Their vines are separated from the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation by a narrow two-lane road. Both Cotes du Rhones are blends of 80% Grenache, 10% Cinsault and 10% Syrah aged in tank. Bosquet des Papes’s 2011 Chateauneuf du Papes are among the great successes of the vintage. Nicolas Boiron told me something I heard from just about every vigneron and oenologist: 2012 was looking perfect. However, as we all remember, so was 2002 until the historic flood hit on September 8 and 9. On September 24, 2011 approximately three inches of rain fell of Chateauneuf du Pape, which will affect the outcome. No 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape a la Gloire de Mon Grandpere was made.
Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173
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