Château La Nerthe : Cuvée des Cadettes 2003

Élevé 100% en fûts neufs, la cuvée des Cadettes du Château La Nerthe millésime 2003 est somptueuse. Sa robe est d'un rouge rubis dense aux reflets tuilés. Au nez, ce vin exprime un bouquet complexe de cassis, mûr, avec une touche de boisé et une belle minéralité. En bouche, il est rond, dense avec des tannins fermes qui lui offrent encore une grande puissance. Il est à boire dès à présent pour profiter pleinement de sa complexité et de sa palette aromatique.

Wine Advocate-Parker :
The luxury cuvee, the Cuvee des Cadettes, is the only Chateauneuf du Pape completely aged in 100% new oak, a la many Bordeaux and Burgundies. The 2003 is an outstanding wine but somewhat of a letdown after what I tasted from cask. A 1,000+-case blend of 47% Grenache, 36% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre, the wine has a deep purple color, a sweet nose of graphite, toasty new oak, cassis, and black fruits. In the mouth, it is medium to full-bodied, revealing more rugged tannin than it did last year as well as aggressive new oak. Nevertheless, there is impressive concentration, but the 2003 is not up to the level of the brilliant 2001 or 1998, the two finest Cuvees des Cadettes I have tasted. In short, it seems to have tightened up and taken on a far more tannic personality than it had last year. Anticipated maturity: now-2014.