Chapoutier Chateauneuf du Pape "Barbe Rac" 1998 - 750ML

96 points Robert Parker

The 1998, which comes from a parcel of Grenache vines planted in 1901 in the western sector of the appellation. A dark plum/purple color is accompanied by a smoky, kirsch, roasted meat, and saddle leather-scented bouquet. The wine took a full year to ferment dry. The result is a blockbuster, full-bodied, super-concentrated Chateauneuf du Pape with multiple nuances of spice and Christmas fruit cake, as well as a lusty, heady, alcoholic finish nicely balanced by abundant quantities of glycerin and dense, layered fruit. Don’t hesitate to drink it now as well as over the next two decades.