2007 Brunel Les Cailloux Chateauneuf Du Pape Cuvee CentenaireBlend from France
Ratings and Description Ratings and Description 97 96 ...
Ratings:
97 Jeb Dunnuck - The Rhone Report
"Hedonistic to the extreme and pushing the ripeness scale, yet keeping everything in check, the 2007 Les Cailloux (Lucien et Andre Brunel) Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Centenaire (almost 100% Grenache, with a splash of Mourvedre, that's from the Farguerol lieu-dit in the northwest part of the appellation) is a knockout Chateauneuf-du-Pape that oozes deep blackberry styled fruits, melted licorice, spice cake, roasted meat, and garrigue aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and voluptuous on the palate, with a thick, rich texture that’s brilliantly balanced by incredible freshness and ripe tannin, this gorgeous 2007 doesn't pull any punches, yet is nevertheless, a monumental wine that has 2+ decades of longevity. " (03/12)
96 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
"Two brilliant successes are Brunel's cuvees of 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape. His limited cuvee of approximately 500 cases of the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire (made from 80% Grenache aged in foudre, and the balance Syrah and Mourvedre aged in one- to three-year-old small barrels) comes primarily from a parcel of 120-year-old vines in the northern part of the appellation in the lieu-dit known as Farguerol. This cuvee has only been made in vintages such as 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2006, and now 2007. Deep ruby/purple in color, the wine exhibits very up-front, precocious, sexy plum, black currant, and sweet cherry notes intermixed with some floral hints, licorice, and garrigue. It is dense, full-bodied, much more supple and silky-textured than the 2005 or 2001, but seemingly more concentrated than the 2000 version of this wine. It is a brilliant, full-throttle, seamless Chateauneuf du Pape capable of lasting for up to two decades, although few people will be able to resist its exuberant youthfulness." (10/09)
96 Wine Spectator
"Rich, but amazingly silky and elegant, this is layered with blackberry, raspberry and fig fruit and stitched with incense, black tea and warm plum sauce notes, all of it staying remarkably lithe and suave. The superlong finish shows weight and precision as only Grenache can. Tempting now, but should put on weight in the cellar. Drink now through 2030. 350 cases made." (11/09)
95 Josh Raynolds - Vinous Media
"Vivid red color. Seductive, highly expressive aromas of raspberry, anise, Asian spices, smoky minerals and potpourri. Juicy, sweet and palate-staining, with vibrant red and dark berry flavors and superb clarity and back-end florality. The extremely long finish leaves sweet floral pastille and raspberry notes behind. This is one of the most seductive wines of the vintage and is already showing a lot of complexity." (02/10)
Product Description:
Vineyard:
"The domaine has 18 hectares in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, which owes its name to one of the twelve plots, called Farguerol, comprised of typical soil of pebbles. It is this land that is shown on the label and which we celebrated the centenary of the planting took place in 1989, by developing for the first time a special wine of the vintage, the 1989 "Cuvee Centenaire". This cuvee will be renewed each exceptional vintage. Other plots are located on all types of soil, which are mostly stony, with ocher sands, white and gray clays, red earth and gravel."
"Of the 16 hectares that produce red wine, 65% are planted with Grenache, 20% with Mourvedre, 12% with Syrah and 3% in the other varieties." - Winery
Winemaking:
"The grapes are harvested very ripe in September and October. They are detemmed by 70%, then crushed to 50%. Fermentation lasts from three to four weeks. Once the alcoholic and malolactic fermentation is complete, the wine is stripped of its big lees, then matured on fine lees, the majority in cement tanks, the rest in oak barrels. Ageing lasts from sixteen to twenty months, then different cuvees are assembled and two months later the wine is bottled. You can start drinking the wine a few months after release, because the long aging brings the wine a rounded texture, but you can also cellar the wine for more than ten years during which it will evolve slowly." - Winery
Specifications Specifications
| Item # | 75198 |
| Vintage | 2007 |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Sub-Region | Chateauneuf du Pape |
| Color | Red |
| ABV | 14.5% |
| Size | 750mL |
| Closure | Cork |
| Varietal(s) | Grenache / Garnacha, Syrah , Mourvedre / Mataro / Monastrell / Garrut |
| Taste | black currant, blackberry, dust, leather, currant, blueberry, strawberry, violet, oak, smoke, toast and vanilla |
| Nose | vanilla, toast, smoke, tobacco, dark fruit, red fruit, spice box, cedar, thyme, clove, cinnamon, black pepper and mint |