Coulon "Boisrenard" Chateauneuf du Pape 1998

Deep red.

Amaretto, earth and black cherry jam nose.

Sweet, broad, packed initial feel in the mouth, then grainy, cheek-coating tannin kicks in. A great contrast to the Pegau, which is aged (primarily?) in large old oak tanks/foudres. Here the small barrel aging adds depth in the mouth, but seemingly at the expense of both complexity and textural "give". The Pegau is clearly more expressive and complex, and likely to stay that way over the long haul.

But this is, still, a deep, rich, "modern" CdP.

Opened yesterday

$40 on release