2011 Chateau La Nerthe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Saturated ruby. Oak-spiced blackberry, cherry-cola and vanilla aromas are sharpened by a bright, minerally quality. Smooth, palate-coating black and blue fruit compote flavors show excellent depth and become spicier and more energetic with air. Offers a suave blend of richness and vivacity, finishing sweet, gently tannic and very long. There is no Cuvee des Cadettes this vintage so this bottling includes all of the estate's old-vines fruit. (I also had the chance to taste the 2010 Chateauneuf and 2010 Cuvee des Cadettes Chateauneuf this fall and both are still extremely young and in need of more patience, especially the Cuvee des Cadettes. There's an exotic character to the latter wine, as there was last year, and I can imagine plenty of wine lovers going nuts over its flamboyant character even now, but patience really is in order.)

Tasted out of bottle and a blend of 47% Grenache, 29% Syrah, 22% Mourvedre and the balance Cinsault, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape spent 12 months in mostly barrels, one-third being new. Showing the up-front and perfumed style of the vintage, with loads of spice, licorice, cedar and savory berry fruit, this medium-bodied, supple effort has excellent balance, good freshness and fine tannin. It should drink nicely through 2021. Drink now-2021. One of the larger estates in Chateauneuf du Pape, covering over 200 acres, all of which are in the southeastern portion located around the estate, Chateau La Nerthe is owned by the Richard Family, with Christian Voeux making the wines since 2008. While the winemaking here falls firmly in the modern camp, with a plenty of small barrels utilized (and some new), the wines never seem overly oaked and always hold on to classic Southern Rhone flare. Importer: Pasternak Wine Imports, Harrison, NY; tel. (800) 946-3110