2010 Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Chimère, Rhône

Another amazing offering is the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Chimere, a blend of 93% Mourvedre, 5% Grenache and the rest white varietals. Packaged in a distinctive Italian glass bottle, this inky/purple-colored 2010 exhibits notes of blueberries, charcoal, roasted herbs and scorched earth. The complex aromas are followed by a full-bodied, super intense, young, unevolved wine that was bottled April 26, 2012, but still resembles a barrel sample. As the wine sits in the glass, aromas of blueberries, licorice and graphite emerge. While the tannins are sweet, they are abundant.This remarkable effort came from one 300-liter foudre. Forget it for 4-5 years and drink it over the following 3 decades. By the way, it is about 16% natural alcohol so it is actually less powerful than the 2011. Kudos to Manfred Krankl, Pascal and Vincent Maurel, and Philippe Cambie for this remarkable effort. Drink 2016 - 2046Robert M. Parker, Jr., Wine Advocate (October 2012)