CDP Cuvee des Cadettes 2010

A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvedre that is aged in small barrels and wooded tanks, the 2010 Château La Nerthe Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée des Cadettes is a knockout 2010 that will have a long life ahead of it. Showing a deep, opaque color as well as stunning aromas of cassis, licorice, spice-box, lead pencil, and meat juice, this hits the palate with a full-bodied, rich, and structured feel; while there are hints of its modern elevage on the nose, it stays in the background and there is first rate southern Rhône flair. It has bright acidity, fantastic purity of fruit, and ripe, yet firm tannin that emerges on the finish. Up there with the best vintage of this cuvee to date (reminiscent of the ’05), this beauty will not hit prime time until a decade after the vintage, and will shine for two decades or more.

Score: 96

Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com 30 September 2012