Chateau-Fortia, Chateauneuf-du-pape 2005

From the southwest of France, near Avignon, comes the great red wine of the Rhone Valley, the Chateauneuf-du-pape. Translated as 'the new castle for the pope' these wines have a long history in France and with the catholic church. Produced in both a white and red version, the more famous red is typically a blend of 15 local grapes with the grenache as their leader. In their younger years the wine can be a bit tough and gritty but with age they develop beautifully, as with the wine we tried by Chateau Fortia. As a 2005 the color was a transparent ruby red and the consistency was apparent by the legs on the glass. At first smell and taste, it was a bit overpowering, but after a half hour of decantation it was much better. The biting alcohol calmed, and the wine became less pungent and more equilibrated. The bouquet was intense and full of diverse aromas. There was strawberry, red apple, blackberry, raisins; white pepper, cloves, cinnamon, juniper berry, as well as many 'third degree' smells from the aging process like white chocolate and leather. On the tongue, as I stated before, the alcohol at first was overbearing. Tannic, smooth fresh and mineral, with a medium amount of saltiness. We paired it with a cheese plate showcasing both young and aged styles.

Dal sud ovest della Francia vicini ad Avignon proviene un grande vino della Valle del Reno il Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Questo vino ha una lunga storia in Francia con la chiesa cattolica. E' vinificato sia in bianco che in rosso, però il rosso è il più famoso, un meritage di 15 vitigni locali con il Grenache come interprete principale.

Se aperto giovane il Chateaneuf è duro e spigoloso ma un buon affinamento può creare molte soddisfazioni sensoriali e gustative. Il vino assaggiato Chateau Fortia è un 2005 dal colore rubino trasparente, con una buona consistenza. I profumi inizialmente compatti e potenti, dopo mezz'ora di 'decanter' si sviluppavano complessi ed intensi. Fragole, mora, mele rosse poi toni di pepe bianco, chiodi di garofano, bacche di ginepro fino ad arrivare a sentori di uvetta e cuoio. Un vero caleidoscopio di profumi. Sulla lingua la presenza di alcool avviluppava una spiccata mineralità e un tannino mediamente aggressivo sicuramente ancora da domare. Abbinato ad un piatto di formaggi di varie stagionature.