Vikas Sharma

I love it when I’ve had a wine cellared for a long time, and I bust it open, and it’s pure magic.

I got to experience that a couple of weeks back when I was in Toronto, and my wife came to visit for a few days for a work event and a meet up with family to celebrate our recent nuptials.

She was late coming in from her flight and wanted a quick dinner, so I cooked up some pasta and opened a bottle that I’ve probably had for close to 10 years; a 2006 Châteauneuf-du-Pape by Maison Tardieu-Laurent. You can probably tell by the label that it’s been around the block.

This is one of those conversational questions that I have with folks, often … and that is “When are you going to open that special bottle of wine you’ve been cellaring? When it’s too late?”

I believe that if you buy good wine, you should drink good wine.

I collect good wines for me and those who wish to enjoy them with me. But I don’t collect too many, as I don’t want to be that person who leaves behind a cellar full of wine for someone else; I deserve to drink it.

On with the show.

So, many of you have heard of Châteauneuf-du-Pape … and, if you’re from Ontario, your first sip was probably from the cool-looking, curvy bottle by Brotte. And you probably remember how lush and smooth the wine was.

That’s because it’s typically comprised of three grapes that are sturdy, powerful, fruity, full-bodied, and velvety; Granache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre (a.k.a. GSM in certain parts of the world – just don’t say that in France, as it’s not always the case – as you’ll see with this wine).

I would imagine that all of the qualities described allow it to be cellared for some time, while improving with age.

Additionally, I have found that other appellations in the Rhone Valley share some these characteristics (like Gigondas or Vacqueyras), which I found to be just as good and can be purchased for less than a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. So, it’s not often that I’ll enjoy a Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine.

There wasn’t much I could find about this winemaker online, other than they appear to be a small producer … and like many others, they are a family business, with the winemaker’s children being involved in the selection of the grapes and production of the wines.

Wine: Tardieu-Laurent

Region/Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC

Grape(s): 99% Grenache and 1% Other (interesting!)

Vintage: 2006

Style: Red

Price: $60 – $70

The Visual: Oily viscosity in the glass with medium legs – medium intensity in colour, which was garnet with a brick-coloured rim.

The Aroma: There was a lot going on with this one: raisin, prune, sherry, umami, blackberry, oak, and star anise.

The Flavour: It was medium to full bodied. With grippy tannins, flavours of dark berries, vanilla, plum, and Christmas cake.

Alcohol medium at 14.5%.

The flavours were very well balanced with a long finish.

Dry – With a sturdy structure – already 15 years old, I imagine that it is hitting it’s peak, or may even have a few more years to go. I’ve had some Spanish wines that are close to 30 years old, and they hold up. So, this bottle could have done the same.

Food pairing: This wine went very well with the pasta that I made, which was a very simple veggie pasta, no red sauce. I think this wine would be great with strong, sharp cheeses (think pecorino, cabrales, or Zamorano).

Final Comments: I very much enjoyed this wine – as a matter of fact, we both did. It was everything that I had hoped it would be … and by cellaring my wines properly, I believe it retained its integrity. A couple of days later, I shared the rest with a couple of friends, and they loved it, too!

Cheers – Salud – Salute – Živeli – Prost – Na Zdrowie – Skål – Santé