La Mordorée Chateauneuf-du-Pape La Plume du Peintre 2005

Dense and impenetrable at first, the monumental 2005 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Plume du Peintre, 100% Grenache all from la Crau, sports a vivid black, opaque color to go with dense, compact aromatics of blackberry and raspberry fruits, iron, blood, and striking minerality. Over the course of the evening, this slowly opens up, gaining amazing complexity, depth, and layers to the aromas. Full bodied and astonishingly concentrated on the palate, this stays fresh and lively with perfect balance, a focused, precise texture, huge structure and extraction through the middle, and a blockbuster finish. Truly extraordinary, this is still a baby and needs at least 5 to 8 more years in the cellar, at which point it should drink well for two decades. A phenomenal job by Christophe and Fabrice!