Forty-eight Châteauneuf estates, two wines each: a 2019 and a 2009. That was the basis for what proved to be a fascinating and memorable tasting. The two years in question have a lot in common – both defined by hot, dry growing seasons producing an impressive crop of rich, ripe, concentrated wines. The main differences are that 2019 was marginally hotter than 2009, certainly drier So how the 2009s are showing now should give us insight into how the 2019s will be showing in 10 years’ time –a good point at which to start opening top Châteauneuf. And if the 2019s age as well as the 2009s, the principal takeaway is: buying some 2019s and cellaring them for 10 years will prove a very savvy move.
Of the 2019s, Tanguy Martin expected ‘a lot of ripe fruits and big concentration’, and in fact ‘there were a lot of very well-balanced wines, not too pushed or too extracted’. It’s an opinion shared by David Round MW and myself, though there were wines that suffered from excessively high alcohol. Some wines that showed well from barrel during my en primeur tastings in the southern Rhône have entered a slightly awkward phase at this point –I would give these some lengthy bottle age in order to further harmonise.
Round was impressed by the 2009s. ‘The overall character of the vintage is one of ripeness and softness, and openness, and I think they showed how well Châteauneuf-du- Pape can age – in a vintage that doesn’t have a reputation for being the most ageworthy.’
Estates frequently showed a consistent character running through the years – similarities in structure, in aromatic profile, and often a similar level of quality.
It was heartening to see that some estates have made leaps forward between 2009 and 2019; they include Château La Nerthe, Domaine Chante Cigale, Domaine Chante- Perdrix, Domaine de la Côte de l’Ange and Famille Mayard. Five estates that performed strongly in both vintages were Château Jas de Bressy, Clos Saint Michel, Domaine de Marcoux, Domaine de la Solitude and Domaine Pierre Usseglio.
The overall quality of winemaking has certainly improved since 2009. Even some of the best-known producers were making unacceptably bretty wines back then [affected by brettanomyces yeast action], with others falling down due to crude acidification or poor-quality corks. Here, the average score for the 2009s was 92; for 2019 it was 92.5, despite the 2019s having an average 0.5% more alcohol.
‘I’d be very confident to open the 2009s now,’ said Martin, and none of those wines would need to be left any longer before opening. Round agreed: ‘I don’t think there are any 2009s that are still on their way up, most are in the middle of a long plateau – there are a few that I wouldn’t keep any longer, but they’re very much in the minority.’ Most will happily age for another five to 10 years at least, however, and you don’t necessarily have to invest in the famous names to be rewarded with the complexity of age.
Some of the 2019s were dangerously drinkable already, but on tasting their equivalent 2009s, the benefit in keeping them for another seven to 10 years is clear. All too often, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a wine drunk far too young, and it really shows its best after 10 years of bottle age. It’s worth the wait.
THE SCORES 96 wines tasted Exceptional 0 Outstanding 21 Highly recommended 59 Recommended 13 Commended 3 Fair 0 Poor 0 Faulty 0
Entry criteria: producers and UK agents were invited to submit their red Châteauneuf-du-Pape cuvées from both the 2019 and 2009 vintages
THE JUDGES
Matt Walls is an awarded wine writer and consultant, a Decanter contributing editor and the DWWA Regional Chair for the Rhône. His latest book Wines of the Rhône (£35, Infinite Ideas) was published in January 2021
Tanguy Martin is business development manager at Roberson Wine. After his oenology studies in Beaune and Montpellier, he moved to England in 2011 and began a prestigious career as a sommelier, working at Hotel TerraVina, La Trompette and Blandford Comptoir among others. He was the Moët UK Sommelier of the Year 2015
David Round MW He has worked in various senior positions such as buyer at Berry Bros & Rudd, fine
