TN: 1998 Janasse Chaupin

Another crappy bottle…pruney, tired, hot…

This comes on the heal of having a fantastic bottle some weeks ago. A Rhone producer that has way too much bottle variation.

I’ve had mixed results the '98 as well. First bottle I tried was sublime, but another after that seemed flat & tired. Have one more bottle that I’ll hold for a while.

I’ve had mixed results with their regular CdP as well.

Never had bottle variation. Always been an excellent wine.

But I bought mine from the domaine on release.

I’ve got just one bottle and am sorry to read that some have experienced wide variation. Gotta think positive, though!

I think shipping/storage conditions are the problem here. Who knows what happens when these wines are imported, sometimes during the middle of the summer.

Dave, I purchased a six pack from the same location. If it was shipping/storage issues then I think they would all be affected. Only good thing is back then they only cost me $25 per.

Nigel, I don’t think you can tell the difference. [taunt.gif]

Paul, for what it is worth, I once received a shipment in April when it was already hot here in hell. Three of the bottles were hot and three were not. I was instructed to try one before shipping back and it was cooked. The distributor said don’t send them back and replaced the bottle price. I tried one of the non hot bottles a month or so later and it was not cooked. Just a thought.

I had a 98 VV a year and a half ago, and I had a very similar experience to Paul’s. Hot as could be, quite light in color, not really all there in texture and body, cloying fruit.
This was someone else’s bottle that they said was purchased on release and stored in a temp cellar, so storage should not have been an issue.

Drinking a glass now Paul. Nice garnet color with liqueur notes but no significant heat or prune type flavors. Enjoyable and ready to drink. I hope my remaining bottles are more like this. I’ve had about 6 bottles from a case and did have 1 as you describe about a year ago.

Joe, that’s why I don’t think it is shipping or storage issues. You have a case and have had 6 good and 1 bad. Shipping/storage wouldn’t account for that.