La Crau de ma Mère Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend

Continuing the theme of France 2003 this weekend... Showing some age but in a good way. Color fading and tannins pretty much melted. Dried red fruit and sweet leather character.

Drinking well, not going anywhere. From magnum so quite fresh

Bought this as a birthday wine and paired it with some Chinese food lamb and eggplant. It’s impressive how much energy and life is still in this, with the color still a clear deep rose, with the bricking amber colors only showing under sharp lighting on the medium body. The nose is like meaty blueberries and mashed strawberries, maybe even a little plum, with musty bookcase and black olive notes with maybe a hint of blood orange as well. It blends perfectly with food, with deep ripe jammy blueberries and black berries, more black olives, a hint of tar, driftwood, barbecue burnt ends and tannin that’s still very much gripping at the end of the palate. The flavor lingers for a looong time, with hints of celery salt and a kind of inky black saucy flavor, like a dark soy sauce but more vinegary towards the end. Damn fine wine.

This was an amazing wine! Must allow it to breathe before drinking.