2007 Domaine de la Solitude Châteauneuf-du-Pape la Reserve Secrete

An utterly heavenly beauty is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape la Reserve Secrete, which in 2007 is a blend of 55% Syrah and 45% Grenache. Despite the high percentage of Syrah, you wouldn’t know it from tasting this beauty, and it offers a killer perfume of black currants, graphite, garrigue and camphor. One of the most youthful wines in my tastings, it has the depth and purity to offer incredible pleasure even today, yet it’s 3-4 years away from full maturity and is going to be very long lived. Bravo!

The modern styled 2007 Domaine de la Solitude Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve Secrète is a blend of 55% Syrah and 45% Grenache that was aged in a combination of small oak barrel and tank. It sports straight-up phenomenal aromatics, as well as crazy purity, with notions of black cherry, tobacco, smoked meats, and chocolate that literally comes leaping out of the glass. This is followed by a full bodied, structured wine that is perfectly balanced, possesses beautifully ripe fruit, and a classic, very long, and mineral-laced finish. Count me as a fan. This should benefit from 5-7 years in the cellar and then drink well for 12-15 years after that.

(a 55/45 blend of syrah and grenache) Bright violet color. Fresh raspberry and boysenberry on the nose, with complementary notes of spicecake, incense and lavender. Large-scaled but surprisingly lively in the mouth, offering sweet red and dark berry compote flavors and penetrating minerality and spiciness. Very suave and focused on the finish, with the dark berry and floral notes echoing.