Reviews
Robert Parker 93-95+ Points
The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Tintot (85% Mourvedre and 15% Grenache aged in small oak barrels) demonstrates just what heights Mourvedre achieved in 2009. (A story circulating among vignerons is that the northern sector of the appellation was far more successful than the south because of the drought, and that the soils in the north are slightly heavier and more moisture-retentive. This is a broad generalization, but there is no question that some northern estates seem to have produced wines that nearly rival what they did in 2007. That was rarely the case in the southern part of the appellation. This is a data point worth keeping in the back of your mind.) The 2009 Le Tintot is a top-flight effort offering lots of tree bark, fresh roasted porcini mushroom, meat juice, blueberry and blackberry notes as well as enormous concentration and density. It is not a wine for wimps or for those wanting something to drink over the near term. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades. The 2009 Le Tintot could be called the poor man’s version of Beaucastel’s Hommage a Jacques Perrin!
International Wine Cellar 91-93 Points
Bright purple. Highly scented aromas of mulberry, potpourri and cola, underscored by a subtle, smoky undertone. Deep, fleshy dark berry preserve flavors are firmed by fine-grained tannins and enlivened by tangy minerals. Open-knit, juicy and alluringly sweet, with very good finishing clarity and sappy persistence. I like this wine's blend of heft, energy and finesse.
