1998 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc

Community Tasting Notes (9) Avg Score: 93 points

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  12/14/2020 - depechemoroder Likes this wine: 93 Points

  Initially a bit restrained and austere, it suddenly exploded into a storm of fragrant mature beauty. Some hay and saffron captured the hint of oxidation, but it was the purity of the stone fruit and lemon kissed rocks with brushes of garrigue that captivated everyone. There was a lean energy matched by a forceful march of flavour. Perhaps the perfect pairing for Pike Quenelles with sauce Nantua. Delicious and you certainly wouldn't guess 22 years old.

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  6/9/2019 - PSPatrick wrote: 94 Points

  Barbecue at Rainer & Reni. 14% ABV. Bottle and cork were in perfect condition. The wine was medium yellow-gold in colour and offered fresh and dried yellow fruit, stony mineral notes and intriguing herbal notes, with a sublime, rich and smooth mouthfeel and incredible length. Special. Great wine!

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  7/10/2017 - MAOC wrote:

  This has clearly come out of its oxidative phase and is light gold in colour (may lighten up further). We decanted it, which certainly did no harm. There are slightly exotic stonefruit notes, but the profile is largely more tertiary, with white flowers, hay and almond notes. No mineral notes, but freshness which means it drinks well between courses as well as with food. A harder-than-average wine to describe (especially two days post drinking), but probably at a peak now and enjoyable ***1/2-****

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  7/3/2010 - stamford wrote:

  I bought a case of this wine en primeur and followed the advice of the merchant to keep it until it was 8 years old before starting to drink it. I opened the first bottle in 2006 - it was faulty. In fact 6 of the first 8 were all faulty ( I'm not competent to diagnose exactly what fault, but they were completely undrinkable). Two bottles of the 8 were drinkable. I gave one to a friend who is a long standing fan of this wine to see what he made of it and he pronounced it perfect ( I didn't taste that one) . Another I opened at a tasting class intending to exemplify faulty wine - and was surprised to find it perfectly drinkable. That 8th bottle was OK, even quite iinteresting but did not begin to match the performance described in other people's tasting notes here. It was lightweight with some lemon, grapefruit, a hint of pineapple, some almonds. Maybe worth a score of 80-85.
  
  I still have the remaining 4 bottles which I've just found lurking at the back of my cellar. I'll be interested to try them.

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  9/19/2008 - Jeff W wrote:

  Clos des Papes offline (St John): A deeper yellow than the 2007, but recognisably from the same stable. Nutty, slightly oxidised and less acidic than the 2007. Full bodied. Distinctly Rhone. This is the oldest white Clos des Papes I have had, and while it proves that this wine can have a long life, I am not sure it it proves to be worth it. vg+

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View all 9 Community Tasting Notes

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