2010 Clos du Mont Olivet "Cuvée des Papet" Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Pre-Arrival)

SKU #1116584 99 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Possibly the finest example of the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Papet since Mont Olivet’s unreal 1990, the 2010 is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah, all aged in foudre. The grapes come from the estate’s oldest vines (50- to 105-years-old), which were planted in the famous sites of Mont Olivet and Bois Dauphin. A extraordinarily deep plum/purple color is followed by notes of balsam wood, raspberries, black currants, lavender, garrigue, kirsch, licorice and underbrush. This quintessential Chateauneuf du Pape smells like an open-air Provencal market. It is a full-bodied, full-throttle, multilayered wine with exceptional concentration, power and precision. While it can be approached now, it will not hit its prime for another 3-4 years, and should last for two decades given how well the 1990 continues to perform. One of the first properties to estate bottle their wines (over 80 years ago), Clos du Mont Olivet is owned by a branch of the Sabon family, a name that is well-known throughout the village of Chateauneuf du Pape. (10/ 2012)

95 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar

Bright ruby-red. Deeply concentrated aromas of raspberry, garrigue, incense and minerals. Pure raspberry and blackberry flavors show impressive intensity and are complicated by Asian spices and a note of candied lavender. Shows excellent focus and energy, with an impressively long, smoky, mineral- and floral-driven finish. This wine offers a really compelling blend of power and finesse; it should age effortlessly. (2/ 2013)