Domaine du Hautes des Terres Blanches, 1998

Even after many years of drinking Chateauneuf du Pape, many wines from this appellation, and especially this one, continue to puzzle me. I have had excellent wines from Domaine du Hautes des Terres Blanches from weaker vintages such as 1993 and 1994, but my first bottle of this 1998  tasted several years ago, was a total disaster. I was ready to dump the whole lot down the drain. I have had some better bottles since that time, but this one tonight, while still mediocre, is the best of the lot.

Medium light brick color. Dried berries, minerals, herbs and a bit of spice and pepper. Compared to earlier bottles, which were overly sweet and thin, this wine tonight is very dry and savory. It has the concentration that I expect from a Chateauneuf du Pape, and the flavors lingered in my memory for several minutes.

 On the second night. this wine adds some menthol notes and seems deeper and more concentrated. Tasted alongside what was left of a 1994 Domaine Pegau Cuvee Reservee Chateauneuf du Pape, preserved well for two weeks under a Repour cork, this wine did not embarrass itself. This is now a good Chateauneuf du Pape. Did I, several years ago, open a 20-year-old Chateauineuf that was not yet ready to drink?