2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac

(from 100% grenache vines up to 80 years of age) Dark red color. Explosive, assertive nose combines bitter cherry, licorice, wild herbs, white pepper and sweet tobacco. Extremely rich and thick on the palate, with outstanding depth of red fruit flavor and a persistent, sappy sweetness on the very long finish.

More chewy, rustic and concentrated than the Croix de Bois, the 2003 M. Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac offers up meaty aromas of dried licorice, dusty earth, beef blood and cured meats. Taking the better part of the evening to open up, it gains in both sweetness and polish with air. On the palate, it is full-bodied, broad-shouldered and decidedly rich, with a core of concentrated fruit and still notable tannin adding grip through the finish. One of the younger 2003s at this stage, I still think it’s drinking at point and would aim for consuming bottles over the coming 5-7 years. Jun 2013, www.robertparker.com