1995 - Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Clos des Papes

Closed in its shell for the better part of 25 years, the 1995 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Clos des Papes is only now beginning to emerge from its long slumber. Deeply Mourvèdre in character, it offers a brooding bouquet of licorice, spices, baked dark fruits and tobacco, with a leafy, herbal undertone typical of the grape. Full-bodied, dense and firmly tannic, it remains tightly wound and structured, though a compelling freshness for a 30-year-old wine hints at the rewards that patience—and generous decanting—will eventually bring. Do not be surprised by the wine's imposing tannic frame; conceived for extended cellaring, it is only now beginning to open up and should offer considerable pleasure over the next decade.