Guigal Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2003
Rhone Red Blends
from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France
winemaker's notes:
Number 20 on the Wine.com 100 of 2007!
80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre and others from 45 year-old vines. A deep dark red in the glass with aromas of spices and mature red fruits. In the mouth, round tannins with powerful complexity. A rich unctuous wine with notes of mature plums, hazelnuts and red fruits. A very rich wine full of harmony and balance.
Serve with: Red meat, game bird and cheese.
"...the 2003 Chateauneuf-du-Pape fully deserves a place alongside its more renowned siblings, with elegant refinement and subtle, soil-driven intensity. Its dark, pungent flavors of black cherry and spiced plum are richly prominent..."
-Wine & Spirits
"...a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet nose of new saddle leather, garrigue, pepper, kirsch, and blackberries. Dense, full-bodied, and tasty..."
-Wine Advocate
"Very rich and deep, with powerful, jammy raspberry and cherry flavors, dusty tannins and a long, chocolatey finish...
-International Wine Cellar
User Reviews
The top 3 most liked reviews for this wine.
Yes, buy this wine. It's very easy and lovely drinking. My friend bought it to share with friends...and my....what a treat.
I bought a 1/2 bottle of this and it was quite nice. Besides the spice notes (very subtle), the aroma of saddle leather was defintely the most pronounced. The palate was quite beautiful and full of dark berries! This sand dry wine hung one the tongue for a nice amount of time. Overall pleasant surprise! This was rated 87 by Wine Spectator but it is better then that rating would suggest.
Ben - Marina Del Rey, CA (
read all my reviews)
Strong hints of arugula, baked alaska, and steamed clams. This effervescent bottle is so tasty that it stunts the guilt that usually applies when spending large quantities of money on alcohol.
Don't get me wrong, this is an interesting gem of a wine that left me very satisfied for the $40 spent, but the prominent "saddle leather" smell is more of an antiseptic leather and reminded me of band aids. However, if you're lucky enough to grab a bottle be ready for a roller coaster of sensations. Very rustic and smokey. Highly recommended.
The taste of leather is overwhelming. There's also a medicinal taste to the wine.
A pleasant surprise for this Bourdeaux. Usually I decant them for about 20-30 minutes, but this time I took a sip from the beginning and it was just wonderful. Great nose, blood red, beautiful color and smells of molasses.
Ben - Marina Del Rey, CA (
read all my reviews)
This wine is a talented, less strong-jawed version of Hillary Swank. It still gives a stong performance, like hers in Million Dollar Baby, but is less annoying overall.
If you enjoy Rhone reds this is a great Chateau neuf. It is reasonably priced. I highly recommend it and will be buying more.
A Customer - Miami, FL
Spicy and intense! What a cool bottle of wine. I'm going to pick up another 6.
A Customer - New York
By far the best 2003 southern Rhone I've tasted for under $60.
A Customer - San Diego, CA
Excellent Chateauneuf du Pape. From a warm vintage, instensely flavored.
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