Château la Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2005

Rating: (90-93) - As reviewed in Wine Advocate # 169 on Feb-07

Right off, this wine seems a little overly hot. The alcohol is maybe a bit off balance. Maybe it's this bottle. Who knows. Although, in defense of the alcohol, the acidity seems pretty up there as well. This may be a big wine, but it's not flabby.
I usually adore this wine, I think this 2005 needs another year and/or needs to be decanted longer and/or needs to really be cellar temp.

August 2009

WS: 91 Points
RP: 90 Points

November 2009

There ist a reason this appellation is called the "House of the Pope": It is a virtual religious experience. All wines 'arrive alive' in the bottle, waking up when we release the cork. This blend of gracious goodness maybe even more so? It was my first French and also my first blend. Yea verily, I know: Nice way to start! This came as a huge shock to my disciplined, calculate, self-taught education of Vino, one varietal at a time where I was 90% though the first course e Cabernet Sauvignon's.
While this can have by rule up to 13 grapes used in the blend, this C-D-P somehow maintains read more...striations of taste, like looking thru unmounted cut jewels in layers, strewn about on many glass shelves of a jeweler's case? The effect is at once transfixing and stunning, especially to my nearly virgin palette. The soft complexity is magnificent and a rapture of flavor mix, blackberry, full mouth feel, sharpness yet softness, unharsh spiciness, total balance. The after taste hangs in mid-air like the slow sparks drifting down in the night sky from a exploded firework, each spark of taste gently burning out in the dark of your mouth. It seems to last for minutes. Three minutes to be exact. I think this scores around 88 on WS or Parker, but it is more memorable and approachable than the certain deliciousness of the 'high rise' 96 pt. Cht. Beaucastel C-D-P I have? Pure magnificence.
I would serve this wine for Best Friends, or Myself, when no one else will be home for hours, and I have time for the fireworks to end in their own time zone..

The nose on this wine reminds me of honestly, the complexity of a Arturo Fuente Hemmingway Classic cigar, slight taste all complex spices, but in a wine.
This wine would pair well with charcoal grilled veal chops. I think this wine is value priced way beyond the delivery performance of SPECTACULAR!
Love the Magnum size also, reg size doesn't last long, and makes for a heavenly 6-pack?
I'm rating this at a holy magnificent 96.    (hide)

• Tags:
• Spice
• layered jewels
• fireworks
• accessable
• luxurious

April 2009

Full of ripe, earthy fruit along with a good tannic backbone. This wine has a nice, slightly chalky character to it that addd complexity. Drinking well today but could still be cellared for a few years to come.

March 2009

No written review

June 2009