The Southern Rhone romance continues. I selected these to serve to guests on Sunday night with chanterelle stuffed capon.
2001 Domaine Bois de Boursan, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Medium red color with a cloudy orange hue. Faint brett aromas intermingle with raspberry and tons of black pepper. Rustic textures with raspberry fruit, pie spices and a bit of leather on the midpalate; sweet and spicy finish. Tannins seem fairly resolved, and the wine overall seems a bit further along in development than I would have expected, but the wine is by no means disappointing. Between this and the next wine, it's the complexity of this wine that impresses.
2000 Doimaine du Vieux Lazaret Cuvee Exceptionelle, Châteneuf-du-Pape
Very youthful color. Very toned and polished with taut, darker fruit than the Boursan--you might call it boysenberry--and still very present tannins. Quite a bit more monotone in profile, but then the wine simply wasn't in the 'ready' state the Boursan was in any way. I have another bottle which I'll hold at least three more years or until someone else sends up the 'all-clear' flag.