From a .375, this is a mess. Stewed fruit, oaky, lacking acid. After I’d had a glass I looked at the CT notes and they’re all over the place from 80 to 91, my bottle was an 80. I can’t imagine more time would do anything for these.
Bummer. I have three. Haven’t tried one yet but it was on the list to open soon.
Steve, I wish you would open one I’m curious to see if yours shows better than this one. I bought these on release and they’ve been perfectly cellared since.
At least they are better than the 07s ![[wink.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/04707e6a7bbb03e0153e349d8a9270d30e1e9525.gif "wink"){kind=small}
I’ll open one over the next few weeks.
Had about a case in 750, none of which tasted like your note CJ. Red fruits with a bit of black fruit, good acidity and while bigger than some CDPs, still fresh.
Haters just gotta hate. I feel sorry for you guys (except for Patten) for your inability to appreciate this wine. Maybe there’s some sort of genetic issue with your taste buds. You should go see a medical professional.
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2012 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (4/11/2017)
Decant and pour immediately at dinner with client at Bobby Vann’s. Started out spicy and herbal. As it took on air, the fruit emerged more and more over 60 minutes or so. Red raspberry, but not sweet and creamy raspberry. More a meaty dark and almost tart raspberry with some blackberry mixed in. This is a great base level CDP. (92 pts.) -
2012 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (3/25/2017)
This is the entry level Clos St.Jean, with “The Big Man,” Philippe Cambie, as the winemaker. I first had the 2005 vintage of this wine about 8 years ago in DC when I was there for a conference and my uncle was unable to meet me for dinner because he was going to a wine dinner. He arranged for me to attend, and it turned out to be Cambie and Vincent Maurel, the owner, pouring their entire lineup. I was not a fan of the 2005 vintage of this wine,especially compared to the La Combe des Fou and Deus ex Machina of the same vintage. The intervening seven years have been put to good use. The base cuvee is now quite excellent, and the higher level wines are probably even better.
Popped, decanted and poured - disappeared quickly among three of us, so not followed for more than perhaps 45 minutes. A very smooth and approachable mixture of herbal earthiness and a raspberry backbone. Very easy to drink. I think it will blossom with even more fruit, but it is quite good now. The modern techniques that Cambie uses make the wine approachable young while backing enough punch to last a long time.
When I first met Cambie, I commented to him after dinner that I had heard he was known as the Michel Rolland of Chateauneuf. He responded, in his thick French accent, “Non, non, Monsieur, Michel Rolland is the Philippe Cambie of Bordeaux.” (91 pts.)
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2005 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Deus-Ex Machina - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/6/2009)
This is a great wine. Cherry, raspberry, roast meat, pepper, a bit of vanilla. Dark pure color, great mouth feel, long finish, expressive fruit nose. I could add a few points but I did not quite faint from rapture.A forceful, masculine CNDP. (96 pts.) -
2005 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/6/2009)
A smooth, incredibly sexy wine. Fruit, cherry, raspberry, glycerine round mouth feel that just slides down your tongue. This wine seduces you and you want to seduce it. (94 pts.) -
2003 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/6/2009)
A very nice CNDP that may be clsoing down a bit. Fruit is a bit subdued but in exchange there is meatyness and stuffing. May be closing down a bit but still very nice. (91 pts.) -
2004 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/6/2009)
A raspberry tart, and I am not referring to a desert. She was explosively raspberry and danced like she was at the Moulin Riuge. Light and sexy with fruit that caresses your palate. I do not know if this has staying power, but it’s definitely got a lot of pizzaz. (91 pts.) -
2006 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (2/6/2009)
An excellent wine but suffered by comparison with a bunch of other Clos St Jean CNDPs. Classic but well above average wine of this type. (90 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker
It was well known 2008 was the worst vintage in CDP since 2002. I bought only a few Pegau because the PC price was $30, IRC. Predictably, it is the weakest Pegau in my cellar.
I can’t help but notice you neglected to post any notes from 2008.
It’s not that I don’t appreciate this, I didn’t buy em to hate on it, I bought it because it’s hard to find halfs and best I remember it seemed like a deal. As I noted I don’t look at any notes until I’ve tried it, but there are many unflattering CT posts. Sorry this just wasn’t good. I popped it and left it open in the cellar for about two hours, maybe I should have decanted it-who knows-maybe after two hours it had already fallen apart.
I still have three, come to Texas in August and if you don’t faint we’ll try one together.
I have been drinking my Clos St. Jean’s from 03-07. The 03s, 04s and even 05s are not, to my taste, aging gracefully at all. It took me awhile for me to register the Cambie effect and when I did I stopped buying the wines.
Although 08 was not a big, sunny, year, there was a lot of well made wine, particularly for people for whom 07 is not the best vintage of any wine anywhere in recorded history. I don’t expect, given your note, here on the 08, that you’ll like other versions better.
Perhaps you just needed to eat sushi with it.
To be fair and transparent…all mine last about a year from release…maybe 2. Taste good young, so kill `em young.
I have not had any 2008 Clos St Jean and do not own any. It’s just that Clos St. Jean gets trashed around here all the time by the AFWE crowd for no good reason.
I have three bottles of 2008 Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape. I will try one soon and report back.
As to coming to Texas in August, or any other time, I thought that they don’t like my kind there and we get turned away at the airport checkpoints.
I would say that I have reason not to favor the wine. If you can taste the difference between a Clos St. Jean and a Pegau, Charvin or Mourre du Tendre, then you will know the reason. If you can’t taste the difference, then I guess it’s just a matter of tastes varying and you’ll have to just grant that others can and not assume they have no reason.