DESCRIPTION
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Oct 07
The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is 95% Grenache and 5% Syrah aged 100% in tank prior to being bottled. This wine always comes from the three best parcels of the estate – Les Serres, La Crau, and Guignasse. This hugely concentrated, muscular wine is very powerful, excruciatingly tannic at present, but super-rich. Yields were a low 22 hectoliters per hectare because of the drought, and this blockbuster, muscular, virile style of wine needs at least 5-6 years of bottle age and should keep for two-plus decades. It is certainly a terrific Mon Aieul, but for those who are very patient. This estate has been on an outrageous run of successful vintages ever since 1998, no small thanks to the extraordinary efforts of the two brothers, Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio. For them 2005 is a very structured, concentrated, powerful vintage that will require significant cellaring. 94 points
Wine Spectator, September 2007
Shows the great, embedded structure of the vintage,
with a strong graphite undertow pushing the layers of
blackberry, boysenberry and plum fruit, while additional
sweet spice, mocha and bittersweet cocoa notes fill in the
background. Packed with fruit and terroir, with a gorgeous
mouthfeel. Best from 2008 through 2027
96 points
Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, Jan/Feb 07
Saturated ruby. Explosive aromas of
blackberry, cherry and licorice, along with an intense floral note. Impressively
fleshy and mouthfilling, with dense, sweet red and dark berry flavors, a
subtle garrigue quality and supple tannins. Lush, creamy and extremely long
on the finish, with a dominant flavor of ripe blackcurrant.
93-96 points
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, Feb 2007
There are 17,000 bottles of the 2005 Chateauneuf
du Pape Mon Aieul (90% Grenache in this vintage and 10% Syrah). Dense ruby/blue/purple
to the rim, this is no wimpy wine, tipping the scales at 15.8% alcohol,
but the higher than normal acidity and moderately high tannins give it a
decidedly vin de garde style that promises a considerably long life. Unlike
the 2004, or 2003 for that matter, it is a wine for patient connoisseurs
who are willing to invest 5-6 years. Made from very low yields of 22 hectoliters
per hectare, this blockbuster, powerful, muscular style of wine should be
at its best between 2012 and 2023.
93-95 points
From Wine Spectator:
The Cuvée de Mon Aieul carries a label from
his grandfather's tenure and is made from 100 percent Grenache. It is
one of the most exciting wines in Châteauneuf today. Initially sourced
only from 90-year-old vines in the sandy southern part of Châteauneuf (the
first vintage for the wine was 1998) the cuvée now contains grapes sourced
from stony and clay portions in the northern area as well. It's very perfumed,
with cedar, cherry, currant, tobacco and mineral flavors that course through
a racy texture, delivering both fruit and terroir in spades.
