Friday 13 April 2012

Two great Chateau Neuf Du Pape wines

Clos des Pape 2001, pictured below, is a wonderful wine.

But I'm not sure it's worth the £100 or so a friend of mine paid for it.

Not that spending that much is in my ballpark pretty much ever. But I'd say the Lynch Bages 2003 I have tasted is a better bet.

But it depends on your tastes and the subtlety of the Clos is not to be denied. I'm not sure it's even fair to compare them really.

Price aside its as smooth and velvety a CNP as you'll find.

The Guigal 2005, also pictured, is less than half the price, around £40 and went superbly with an overly large steak in New York recently.

Rather more smoky and berry like, it's more my taste.

The Clos came from Berry Brothers in London and the Guigal from a wine shop in New York.

If you happen to be in NYC two things are worthy of note:

1) many restaurants do offer corkage (Keens chophouse in mid town for example)

2) Wine tax seems lower than the UK and given the European focus of much of the city, some great French and particularly Italian wines (think Barolo and all those Italian-Americans) are available in stores at decent prices.

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