WTN: 1998 Les Cailloux, CDP...BLEH!

1998 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (1/11/2009)

Decanted off some sediment. There is considerable bricking, suggesting much older wine.
Disappointing. NJ says it smells like stinky work boots and I have to agree. No fruit. My one and only bottle which is a good thing.
I guess there is considerable bottle variation on this particular wine and I drew the short straw. This bottle sucked!

Posted from CellarTracker

[David M. Bueker]

It seems likely that a substantial portion of this wine was damaged in transit.

It seems likely that a substantial portion of this wine was damaged in transit.

Any idea where the damage occurred? After delivery to the importer(s)?

[David M. Bueker]

Given how widespread the premature aging is, I would either say in coming to the USA, or even earlier.

Of course there's is always that insidious possibility that they have altered the winemaking & the wine just won't age the same way that it did in the '80s and early '90s.

Given how widespread the premature aging is, I would either say in coming to the USA, or even earlier.

Of course there's is always that insidious possibility that they have altered the winemaking & the wine just won't age the same way that it did in the '80s and early '90s.

But Bill Spohn recently posted a positive note on this same wine, and it's hard to believe that, even with differing perceptions and sensitivities, he could feel so wildly different about a wine widely reported as being damaged. Since he got his through the local liquor monopoly, I surmise that it's more an issue with importation to the US, or at least the Left Coast (there have been positive notes out of the East IIRC).

Mark Lipton

Given how widespread the premature aging is, I would either say in coming to the USA, or even earlier.

Of course there's is always that insidious possibility that they have altered the winemaking & the wine just won't age the same way that it did in the '80s and early '90s.

But Bill Spohn recently posted a positive note on this same wine, and it's hard to believe that, even with differing perceptions and sensitivities, he could feel so wildly different about a wine widely reported as being damaged. Since he got his through the local liquor monopoly, I surmise that it's more an issue with importation to the US, or at least the Left Coast (there have been positive notes out of the East IIRC).

Mark Lipton

Mark-

I saw the other Bill's note about a week ago and it gave me a glimmer of optimism. It is not even remotely possible that this was a difference of taste/perception. His was not damaged and mine was. Even NJ, who is not usually critical of wine, muttered something along the lines of WTF?

On the good/plus side, I haven't had a corked bottle in quite some time, so I suspect the FLAWS are evening out.

Bill