Happy Saturday! It's the first Saturday of November which means it's Cellar Saturday, that magical time when I raid the cellar for something at least a decade in the making. Tonight I've opened a bottle I found while rummaging for a half case of a 2004 Rhone that I mentioned to someone last week, and there is was, the 2007 Domaine Berthet-Rayne Chateauneuf du Pape, a bottle that I bought more than 10 years ago when I was still living in Grand Rapids. This wine of the Pope is fairly traditional in terms of blend, with Grenache (65%), Mourvèdre (20%), Cinsault (10%) and Syrah (5%) from the southern Rhone region of France. So, let's see how this wine is tasting!
The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass with great clarity, with just a hint of amber along the edges which comes with this level of maturity. A gentle swirl reveals aromas of black cherry, herbs de Provence and earthy notes of tar and basalt. Take a sip and you're awash with warm fruit and spice, strawberry, cherry and currant with hints of black pepper spice that transitions easily to some notes of peat and tobacco midpalate. The tannins are still well structured and provide a wonderful base to the smooth dry finish that lingers on the palate.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's a very pleasing example of this classic Rhone blend that would pair well with a range of dishes, from lamb to bouillabaisse, braised beef short ribs to hearty mushroom risotto. Cheers!
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