| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
Happily, the last two bottles of 1998 Cuvee Centenaire from my cellar were representative of the score that has been bestowed above. Dense plum/garnet to the rim, with an extraordinary nose of creme de cassis, blackberry, licorice, camphor, new saddle leather, and scorched earth, the wine is full-bodied, opulent, rich, very pure, and from sound bottles, a great Cuvee Centenaire that comes close to rivaling the perfect 1990. This wine should drink well for another decade or more.
Saturated red-ruby. Liqueur-like black fruits on the nose, with complicating hints of pepper and licorice. Superrich and ripe; bigger than the basic bottling but less open and less complex today. This shows an almost roasted ripeness and comes across as a bit monolithic. The group preferred the regular bottling, but this wine is still an infant.
The 1998 Cuvée Centenaire is an awesome Châteauneuf du Pape. Made from extremely old vines (in excess of 100 years) by one of the appellation's most talented proprietors, André Brunel (his exceptional regular cuvée of Les Cailloux should not be missed), this is the essence of both Châteauneuf du Pape and the Grenache grape. A small amount of Mourvèdre and Syrah are included in the blend. The wine boasts a deep ruby/purple colour as well as an extraordinary bouquet of melted, jammy black cherry, raspberry, and currant fruit mixed with pepper and spice box. In the mouth, it is rich, full-bodied and unctuously-textured, with extraordinary purity, and laser-like definition for a wine of such massive concentration and depth. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. This spectacular, youthful, amazingly accessible offering is a tour de force in winemaking, and a tribute to just how great Châteauneuf du Pape can be. Anticipated maturity: now-2025.
