9.14.07/ 2003 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape and 2003 Domaine Tempier Le Tourtine

Ugh, what a horrible experience tasting this wine. Colman brought the bottle and was very pumped to open it (that is him in the picture marveling at how bad it was). The Donjon is one of the classic examples of CdP but this showed very poorly. It was disgustingly sweet - almost as if it had been cooked. Mealy in the mouth and just plain awful. The nose was outstanding though.

Colman claimed that 2003 had just been an off year for Southern Rhone but even in a bad year, a good producer can make a fine wine. To prove my point, I grabbed a bottle of 2003 Dom. Tempier Le Tourtine - a single vineyard Mouvedre/Cinsault blend - and cracked it. It was fragrant and tannic. We decanted it for about 45 mins (drank a different wine) then came back and it was heavenly compared to the Donjon. Possibly too young, but it was our sample bottle, so we had to try it for the list!

Still tannic, but mellowed into dry dark fruit, notes of dried apricot, roasted plum, not juicy but delish.

4 of 5 glasses!