Domaine de la Mordorée
Châteauneuf-du-Pape - Côtes du Rhône - Lirac -Tavel (Rhône Valley)

 

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"Christophe Delorme's objective as a winemaker is to be unintrusive and maintain total respect for his terroir and the fruit it produces. His dream is to achieve a perfect balance between concentration, terroir and flavors. Delorme seems to be moving in the direction of biodynamic farming. He represents the best of an enlightened approach to winemaking that has one foot in the traditions of the past and one in the future."
- Robert Parker, The World's Greatest Wine Estates.

"The main estate at Tavel; the proprietors also own land at Lirac and Châteauneuf; big, heady wines through white, rosé, and red; the modern, oaked style packs a punch." 
- Anthony Dias Blue's pocket guide to wine 2006

Christophe Delorme

Domaine de la Mordoree

The tasting room

The cellar                                      The tasting room

Grenache vines (Chateauneuf-du Pape AOC)

An insect nest that shows the Domaine's respect for the environment

They exceptionally use some herbicides; they keep the grass in between vine rows to enhance the natural elements of the soils (insects, earthworm, etc) and the expression of "terroir"

The harvest

Marsanne, Bourboulenc, Clairette

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#F0EE153016MNM
UPC code: 7 84585 00675 5
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Re:Naissance, Rouge 12/750ml
50% Marselan (Cabernet Sauvignon X Grenache), 50% Merlot. 7 year old vines.
100% destemmed, long 30 days maceration with a maximum of 28°C temperature.
Strong red color, blackberry and raspberry fruit on the nose complemented by floral notes of violet. Rich and powerful on the palate with strong flavors and a nice concentration. Long finish.
Food pairing:  red meats with sauce, grilled meats, game birds and semi-mature cheeses.

#F0EE15383
UPC code: 7 84585 00675 5
2006 Domaine de la Mordorée, Re:Naissance, Rouge 12/750ml
"Has an eye-opening color, with vivid plum and licorice flavors that stay light and fresh, thanks to a lingering herb hint on the dusty-edged finish. Very tasty. Drink now."
- Wine Spectator (Oct. 2007), 89 pts

National Retail Price: $16.99 / bottle

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#F0EE153018MNS
UPC code: 7 84585 00676 2
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Re:Naissance, Rosé 12/750ml
50% Marselan (Cabernet Sauvignon X Grenache), 50% Merlot. 7 year old vines.
100% destemmed, vat bleeding, fermentation at 18° C
Intense pink color, rose petal and strawberry aromas. Rich and full bodied on the palate.
Pairs well with white meats, Asian cuisine and excellent as an aperitif.

"Light, lurid red. Fresh red berries on the nose, with pine, dried flowers and orange peel adding complexity. Sweet raspberry and cherry flavors possess a pleasantly bitter edge, which adds cut to this fruit bomb. Finishes with good persistence. Marselan is a cross between cabernet sauvignon and grenache that has only recently been granted BATF approval for use on labels."
- International Wine Cellar (June 2008), 87 pts


National Retail Price: $16.99 / bottle

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#F0EE153033GRM
UPC code: 7 84585 00002 9
2008 Domaine de la Mordorée, Côtes du Rhône Rouge, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 5% Counoise.
20 year old vines.
100 % destemming, 15 day maceration with a maximum of 30° C temperature
Deep red color. Blackcurrant and violet aromas. Melted and fine tannins, good finish.
Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, grilled meats, semi-mature cheeses.


#F0EE153003GRM
UPC code: 7 84585 00002 9
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Côtes du Rhône Rouge, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 5% Counoise.
20 year old vines.
100 % destemming, 15 day maceration with a maximum of 30° C temperature
Deep red color. Blackcurrant and violet aromas. Melted and fine tannins, good finish.
Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, grilled meats, semi-mature cheeses.

"Domaine de la Mordoree’s less expensive reds start with the 2007 Cotes du Rhone Dame Rousse, a blend of 40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and the rest Cinsault, Carignan, and Counoise. This wine shows some dark plum notes intermixed with raspberry, kirsch, licorice, and some loamy soil. This wine has a lot of muscle and density for a Cote du Rhone, and is best drunk over the next 4-5 years, although it should last up to a decade."
- Wine Advocate (#178, Aug. 2008), 89 pts


National Retail Price: $17.99 / bottle

#F0GG153004GRS
UPC code: 7 84585 00535 2
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Côtes du Rhône Rouge, La Dame Rousse 24/375ml

National Retail Price: $10.99 / bottle

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#F0EE153035GRS
UPC code: 7 84585 00041 8
2008 Domaine de la Mordorée, Côtes du Rhône Rosé, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, 10% Cinsault.
20 year-old vines.
Pink, slightly orange color (mordorée color).
Aromas of crystallized oranges and cherries, hints of aniseed. Very round palate, fresh and a long finish.
Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, fowl, white meats, grilled lamb with Provence herbs, fish soup, fried fish, pastas, pizzas and all Asian dishes.

#F0EE153013GRS
UPC code: 7 84585 00041 8
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Côtes du Rhône Rosé, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
40% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 15% Cinsault, 10% Carignan, 5% Mourvèdre
20 year-old vines.
Pink, slightly orange color (mordorée color).
Aromas of crystallized oranges and cherries, hints of aniseed. Very round palate, fresh and a long finish.
Food pairing: cold meats and delicatessen, fowl, white meats, grilled lamb with Provence herbs, fish soup, fried fish, pastas, pizzas and all Asian dishes.

"This is a terrific rose offering up notes of watermelon, red berry fruit, and some hints of citrus and flowers. It is fresh, medium to full-bodied, and wonderfully deep and long. Drink it over the next year."
- Wine Advocate (#178, Aug. 2008), 88 pts

"Very pale, bright red. Jammy strawberry, raspberry and candied rose aromas offer good straightforward appeal. Fleshy red berry preserve flavors are round and soft, with a touch of sweetness on the back end. Rich and powerfully fruity; I'd serve this with spicy foods as it may be a tad weighty to drink on its own."
- International Wine Cellar (June 2008), 88 pts

88 pts from Wine & Spirits (Feb. 09)

#F0EE15379
UPC code: 7 84585 00041 8
2006 Domaine de la Mordorée, Côtes du Rhône Rosé, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
"From one of the southern Rhône Valley's great producers, this is a blend of grenache, syrah, cinsault, carignan, and mourvèdre. It displays a slight pink/orange hue and an excellent nose of orange rind, licorice, sweet cherries, and strawberry jam."
- Robert Parker Jr, Business Week (July 9, 2007), 88 pts

National Retail Price: $16.99 / bottle
 

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#F0EE153044GRS
UPC code: 7 84585 00038 8
2008 Domaine de la Mordorée, Tavel Rosé, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 10% Clairette
Steady pink, brilliant and limpid color.
Very complex nose with flowers, red and white fruits aromas. Round, full bodied with a long lasting aniseed and fruity finish.
Food pairing: cold meat and delicatessen, poultry, white meats, grilled meats, fried fish, fish soup, pastas, pizzas and all Asian 

"The Domaine de la Mordorée — the word means “woodcock” — is a meticulously run property that produces Cotes-du-Rhone and Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the wine in question, the Domaine de la Mordorée Rosé 2008, from Tavel. The blend of grapes is what one would expect from a Cotes-du-Rhone or Cotes-du-Rhone Villages: 60 percent grenache, 20 percent syrah, 10 percent cinsault and 10 percent clairette, a white grape not of much account itself but often blended in small quantities into the red wines of the southern Rhone, Provence and Languedoc. 
The color is what LL called “red tourmaline,” which to my eye appeared to be a sort of rosy-pink-light cherry hue with no copper or peach; this is pure radiance. The nose? Strawberry and raspberry with undertones of red currant and plum. Flavors encompass red currant with melon and dried red fruit and hints of dried thyme; a few minutes in the glass bring in some spice, an intriguing touch of Red Hots, a note of wild berry and heaps of limestone in the finish. Most roses can’t approach the Domaine de la Mordorée in terms of substance and style; it’s bone-dry, of course, yet ripe and seductive, deftly balanced between crisp, mouth-watering acidity and a silky texture. This should drink well through the end of 2010. Excellent. . 

On Saturday for lunch, LL made some open-face ham sandwiches with black olive pesto and put some potato salad and white bean salad on each plate. This rosé was perfect with that sort of luncheon, picnic-type fare. Sunday afternoon, we finished the bottle sitting on the back porch. Again, perfection.

- Bigger than your head (April 09)


#F0EE153023GRS
UPC code: 7 84585 00038 8
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Tavel Rosé, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 10% Clairette
Steady pink, brilliant and limpid color.
Very complex nose with flowers, red and white fruits aromas. Round, full bodied with a long lasting aniseed and fruity finish.
Food pairing: cold meat and delicatessen, poultry, white meats, grilled meats, fried fish, fish soup, pastas, pizzas and all Asian dishes.

"The 2007 Tavel is another superb rose from southern France, offering plenty of kirsch and spice characteristics, exuberant fruit, medium to full body, and an authoritative finish. This serious effort is befitting this appellation famous for one wine – rose. Enjoy it over the next 6-9 months."
- Wine Advocate (#178, Aug. 2008), 90 pts

"Light, bright pink. Spicy redcurrant, strawberry and blood orange aromas are complicated by dusty minerals and fresh rose. Light in body but intensely flavored, offering concentrated red berry flavors and tangy citrus pith flavors. Becomes richer with air, picking up black raspberry and bitter cherry qualities. Impressively precise rose, finishing with excellent cut and length. This really stains the palate."
- International Wine Cellar (June 2008), 91 pts

National Retail Price: $26.99 / bottle

#F0GG153024GRS
UPC code: 7 84585 00537 6
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Tavel Rosé, La Dame Rousse 24/375ml
National Retail Price: $16.99 / bottle

#F0EE153046GRM
UPC code: 7 84885 01113 1
2008 Domaine de la Mordorée, Tavel Rosé, Reine des Bois 12/750ml
The wine expresses the identity and the originality of the lieu-dit “Vallongue” that produces wines of great aromatic complexity and significant elegance, marrying intensity, depth, freshness and minerality. 
This wine comes from a parcel planted on a pebbled soil covered with stones, whose geology is typical of the grands crus from the Rhone Valley (a base made of marine molasse from the Miocene period covered with an alpine diluvium from the Villafranchian period).

This unique terroir is highlighted by totally natural farming methods. The harvest is manual, followed by a careful selection of the grapes.
The winemaking is done in respect of the personality of the traditional grape varieties of the region:
60% Grenache, 15% Clairette, 15% Syrah, 10% Cinsault.

National Retail Price: $33.95 / bottle

case card

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#F0EE153036GRL
UPC code: 7 84585 00004 3
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Rouge, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
50% Grenache, 50% Syrah. Hand harvest.
Yield: 40 hl/hectare.
40 year old vines.
100% destemming, 30 day maceration with a maximum of 34°C temperature
Raspberry, black-current and violet aromas. Full bodied, rich and ample on the palate. Nice concentration and a long finish
Pairs well with red meats, grilled meats, game and cheeses.


#F0EE153025GRL
UPC code: 7 84585 00004 3
2006 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Rouge, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
50% Grenache, 50% Syrah. Hand harvest.
Yield: 40 hl/hectare.
40 year old vines.
100% destemming, 30 day maceration with a maximum of 34°C temperature
Raspberry, black-current and violet aromas. Full bodied, rich and ample on the palate. Nice concentration and a long finish
Pairs well with red meats, grilled meats, game and cheeses.

"Offers a nice mix of red berry, blackberry and blueberry fruit, with a beam of sweet spice and toast notes. Shows good grip and focus through the finish, where there's a racy minerality. Should age well. Drink now through 2012."
- Wine Spectator (Nov 2008), 90 pts

#F0EE15387
UPC code: 7 84585 00004 3
2005 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Rouge, La Dame Rousse 12/750ml
"The 2005 Lirac Dame Rousse is an equal-part blend of Grenache and Syrah from 40-year-old vines. Dark ruby/purple with sweet black raspberry, cassis, and meaty notes, the wine is spicy, medium to full-bodied, structured, but rich, full, and very impressive. It should drink nicely for another 7-8 years."
- Wine Advocate (#178, Aug. 2008), 90 pts

"Lovely plum cake, mocha, licorice and fig flavors run through this juicy offering, with dark fruit and a stony minerality lingering on the finish. Drink now through 2008. 1,800 cases made. –JM"
- Wine Spectator (Oct 2007), 90 pts

"From the brilliant Rhône vintner Christophe Delorme comes this captivating red wine, which is broad and ample but never overwhelming, and redolent of red raspberry and juicy red plum fruitiness.  Nature and nurture are both at work here: The intensity of flavor packed into 'Dame Rousse' is due in large part to the health of the biodynamically farmed grapes, which were raised in a meticulous 40-year-old vineyard."
- Wine Review Online (Jul 24, 2007) 91 pts

National Retail Price: $23.95 / bottle

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#F1EE153026RWS
UPC code: 7 84585 00127 9
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Blanc, La Reine des Bois 12/750ml
30% Grenache, 15% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, 10% Marsanne, 10% Picpoul, 10% Clairette, 10% Bourboulenc. 30 year-old vines
Skin contact maceration and direct pressing with temperature control. 25% is barrel fermented.
Golden color with green highlights. White fruits, peach, apricot, pear, violet aromas.
Round, long finish, highly flavored.
Pairs well with appetizers, fish, seafood.

"Shows a mix of peach pit, lime and floral notes, with a hint of blanched almond on the bracing finish. Should mellow nicely with brief cellaring. Drink now through 2009."
- Wine Spectator (Oct 2008), 88 pts

#F0EE5388
UPC code: 7 84585 00127 9
2006 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Blanc, La Reine des Bois 12/750ml
"The 2006 Lirac blanc, a blend of 30% Grenache, 15% Viognier, 15% Roussanne, and the rest Marsanne, Picpoul, Clairette, and Bourboulenc, is a super-dry white with notes of honeyed peach, apricot, brioche, and white currants. The wine also shows beautiful floral notes in a medium-bodied, crisp, dry, intense style to drink over the next 2-3 years. Christophe Delorme and his brother run this estate, which is clearly at the top of its game, producing a bevy of brilliant southern Rhone wines, red, white, and rose."
- Wine Advocate (#173, Oct. 2007), 90 pts

"Bold, juicy and fat, with delicious peach, melon, almond and toast notes, backed by a pleasantly bitter note on the finish that then knits it all together. Drink now. 600 cases made. –JM"
- Wine Spectator (Oct 2007), 90 pts

National Retail Price: $49.95 / bottle

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#F0EE153038RRL
UPC code: 7 84585 00040 1
2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Rouge, La Reine des Bois 12/750ml
Yield: 30 hl/ha
Age of the vines: 40 years.
1/3 Grenache, 1/3 Mourvèdre, 1/3 Syrah.
40 year-old vines
The maturation takes place 30% in oak barrels, 30% in wooden tun and 40% in enameled steel tank.
Deep dark red color with blueish hints.
Fruity and intense aromas of dried prunes and blackberry with coffee nuances.
Melted and concentrated tannins, full bodied, very long fresh finish.

#F0EE153027RRL
UPC code: 7 84585 00040 1
2006 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Rouge, La Reine des Bois 12/750ml
Yield: 30 hl/ha
Age of the vines: 40 years.
1/3 Grenache, 1/3 Mourvèdre, 1/3 Syrah.
40 year-old vines
The maturation takes place 30% in oak barrels, 30% in wooden tun and 40% in enameled steel tank.
Deep dark red color with blueish hints.
Fruity and intense aromas of dried prunes and blackberry with coffee nuances.
Melted and concentrated tannins, full bodied, very long fresh finish.

"Very pure and focused, with dark currant and fig fruit held in check for now by a layer of suave, dark toast. Espresso, mineral and aged tobacco notes flitter through the finish, but this needs a little time to unwind. Best from 2009 through 2013."
- Wine Spectator Insider (Sept 2008), 91 pts

90 pts from Wine & Spirits (Feb. 09)

#F0EE15389
UPC code: 7 84585 00040 1
2005 Domaine de la Mordorée, Lirac Rouge, LaReine des Bois 12/750ml
"The brilliant 2005 Lirac La Reine des Bois, which is made from equal parts Grenache, Mourvedre, and Syrah, and aged in a combination of tank, wooden foudres, and small oak barrels, shows notes of ground pepper, melted licorice, roasted meats, blackberry, and cassis. This is a sensational wine, and frankly, the best red wine made in Lirac. Full-bodied and rich, it will hold up for at least 10-12 years.
- Wine Advocate (#173, Oct. 2007), 91 pts

"Powerfully ripe, with raspberry and boysenberry fruit that never gets heady, thanks to the racy structure, and a long anise- and graphite-filled finish. An impressive display. Drink now through 2009. 3,000 cases made. –JM"
- Wine Spectator (Oct 2007), 91 pts

"As for the 2005 Lirac Cuvee de la Reine des Bois, this wine is superb, with a dense purple color and a beautifully sweet nose of blackberries, licorice, smoke, and acacia flowers. The wine is deep, full-bodied, with tangy acidity, moderately high tannins, and tremendous texture and length. This is a serious wine that could compete with some of the finest Chateauneufs. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 15 years. Drink 2009-2024. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils, LTD." 
- Wine Advocate (issue 169), 90-93 pts

National Retail Price: $42.95 / bottle
 

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2007 Domaine de la Mordorée, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Reine des Bois 6/750ml
#F0EE153029GRL
UPC code: 7 84585 00534 5
70% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 5% Vaccarese, 5% Cinsault and 5% Counoise.
60 year-old vines
Aged in 50% oak barrels.
Deep ruby red color, red fruits aromas leading to leather, black truffles and coffee notes. Fat and concentrated on the palate, with liquorice and fruity flavors.
Pairs well with game and red meats, cheeses.

"Stunning in its combination of density, purity and elegance. There’s plenty of dark fig, cassis, pastis and crushed plum fruit, along with melted licorice, ganache and black tea notes. But the texture is supple, the tannins silky and the finish long and beguil­ing. Harnesses the precociousness of the vintage with true depth and length. Best from 2010 through 2030."
- Wine Spectator (May 2009), 96pts - HOT WINE

"The purple-colored 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Reine des Bois is loaded. Although still primary and backward, it reveals an extraordinary depth of juicy blackberry and cassis fruit interwoven with notes of roasted herbs, meat juices, camphor, and a touch of licorice. The wine boasts great depth, a superb texture, and a full-bodied richness nicely framed by high yet velvety tannins and fresh acidity. The vintage’s remarkable aromatic complexity and freshness are apparent in this big, substantial, authoritative wine. It will need 3-4 years of cellaring, and should keep for 20-25 years."
- Wine Advocate (Oct 2008), 96-97+pts

"Inky ruby. The nose offers a highly complex, wild array of dark berry and floral scents, along with anise, herbs and smoky minerals. Utterly stains the palate with deep black and blue fruit flavors complemented by strong notes of lavender pastille and tobacco. Tannins come up with air but the fruit seems to suck them up. Finishes with a strong wallop of luscious blueberry and mocha and outstanding persistence. This looks to be one of the best wines of this superb vintage."
- Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Jan. 09),
 93-96 pts

2006 Domaine de la Mordorée, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Reine des Bois 6/750ml
#F0EE153029GRL
UPC code: 7 84585 00534 5
70% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 5% Vaccarese, 5% Cinsault and 5% Counoise.
60 year-old vines
Aged in 50% oak barrels.
Deep ruby red color, red fruits aromas leading to leather, black truffles and coffee notes. Fat and concentrated on the palate, with liquorice and fruity flavors.
Pairs well with game and red meats, cheeses.

"The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Reine des Bois is one of the few wines of the vintage to rival the estate’s 2007 counterpart. I suspect Mordoree’s 2007 will put on more weight, but they have made one of the singular wines of the vintage in 2006. Performing far greater from bottle than it did last year from barrel, the 2006 boasts a dense purple color as well as an amazing bouquet of charcoal, blackberries, cherries, licorice, incense, and spring flowers. It hits the palate with a rush of full-bodied opulence and decadence with super-rich fruit, superb purity, a broad, layered, velvety-textured mouthfeel, and a stunningly long finish that lasts nearly 50 seconds. This is a great effort for a 2006! Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025."
- Wine Advocate (Oct 2008), 95+pts

"Very juicy, but sleek and racy, with a big core of warm, crushed fig and plum fruit layered with mocha, black licorice, Turkish coffee and graphite. The long, dark finish is nicely packed for the vintage. Drink now through 2023."
- Wine Spectator Insider (Aug. 20, 2008), 93 pts

"Glass-staining purple. Sexy aromas of red and dark berry preserves, incense and garrigue, with complicating cola and mineral qualities. Round and deeply concentrated, offering lush black raspberry, cherry-cola and candied lavender flavors and gently bracing acidity. The sweet, vibrant berry flavors cling impressively."
- Tanzer's International Wine Cellar (Jan. 09), 93 pts

"Inky purple. Explosively aromatic, captivating bouquet of raspberry, cherry, mocha and Asian spices. Very sexy wine, with deep, sweet red and dark fruit preserve flavors, silky tannins, outstanding palate coverage and lingering spiciness."
- International Wine Cellar (Jan 2008), 93-95 pts

"Since 1996, their Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois has been one of the stars of the vintage. The blue/purple-hued 2006 exhibits aromas of charcoal, creme de cassis, roasted herbs, meat juices, licorice, and camphor. Full-bodied, dense, and concentrated with sweet tannin, adequate acidity, and a stunningly long finish (40+ seconds), this beauty is one of the vintage’s most complete and concentrated wines. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2023."
- Wine Advocate (#173, Oct. 2007), 92-95 pts

"Glowing blackish purple. Very hedonistic – ripe purple fruits, supple black cherries – a sort of ‘American cuvée’? Lots of pleasure here – smooth texture but no sacrifice e of local character. Well done! Neat tannins on the finish as well as a bit of alcohol but no shortage of fruit in the middle. Supple – much more supple than the average Châteauneuf. Traditionalists beware though… Apparently ageing was variously in barrique, foudre and cuve." 18 Drink 2014-25
- Jancis Robinson, Jan. 2008

National Retail Price: $135.95 / bottle

UPC code: 7 84585 00534 5
2005 Domaine de la Mordorée, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Reine des Bois 6/750ml
 "Dark purple. The nose offers a kaleidoscopic bouquet of dark berry preserves, Asian spices, incense and fresh flowers. Impressively deep and velvety, with sweet blackcurrant and boysenberry flavors and gentle mineral lift. Really stains the palate, finishing with outstanding cling and sappy persistence. The oak spice, which was so noticeable and bothersome to me last year, seems to have been nearly completely absorbed. Mea culpa."
- International Wine Cellar (Jan 2008), 94 pts

"Since 1996, their Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois has been one of the stars of the vintage. The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois boasts a dense purple color, a full-bodied, opulent style, moderately high tannin, sensational concentration, and abundant aromas and flavors of spring flowers, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and spice. It is a meaty, fleshy, tannic effort that brings to mind the 1998. A brilliant wine for the vintage, it should be exceptionally long lived. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2025."
- Wine Advocate (#173, Oct. 2007), 95 pts

"Packed with layers of fig, raspberry and blackberry confiture flavors, this is long and fleshy, with lots of racy graphite and sweet cocoa notes. The long, ripe, defined finish shows great grip, with encores of fruit and minerality. Best from 2008 through 2025. 1,100 cases made. –JM"
- Wine Spectator (Aug 2007), 95 pts

"A brilliant wine, and again there will be two cuvees, Christophe Delorme’s 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois has a wonderful, gorgeous black/purple color and a beautifully sweet nose of blackberries, scorched earth, graphite, tobacco leaf, and Provencal herbs and spice. Inky, pure, full-bodied, and tannic with good acidity, this wine is going to require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2013-2025+. Sadly, the tiny yields of Mordoree’s vineyards only produced 1,250 cases of the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois. (By the way, this is a wine in which 40% passes in small barrels, and 60% is aged in tank, and then the two components are blended together prior to bottling.). Drink 2013-2025. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils, LTD." - Wine Advocate (issue 169), 94-96 pts

"Inky violet. Powerful, ripe aromas of dark berry liqueur with a good dose of vanillin oak. Lush, creamy and round, with deep, sweet boysenberry and mulberry flavors along with exotic oak spice and vanilla tones. Very long on the finish, with a palate-saturating flavor of sweet dark berry liqueur note, with great length and palate coverage. I wonder about the oak here." 
- International Wine Cellar (Jan/Feb. 2007), 89-92 pts

National Retail Price: $135.95 / bottle
 

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UPC code: 7 84585 00684 7
2005 Domaine de la Mordorée, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Plume du Peintre 12/750ml
100% Grenache.

"Not that it is easy to find or afford, but if you have sufficient wealth, the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape La Plume du Peintre (100% old vine Grenache from La Crau) is out of this world. It is much more accessible and opulent than the behemoth 2003, but is still so concentrated that it will evolve for 40+ years. It is a rare, rare jewel of Chateauneuf du Pape."
- Wine Advocate (Oct. 2008), 99+ pts

"A limited cuvee, the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape La Plume du Peintre is meant to age for 40-50 years. From a specific site in one of the appellation’s most hallowed sectors (La Crau), this wine’s level of concentration, richness, extract, and harmony are almost beyond comprehension. With beautifully integrated acidity, tannin, and alcohol, it is a monster wine the likes of which are rarely seen today. The lucky few who are able to latch on to a bottle will be singing its glories fifty years from now."
- Wine Advocate (#173, Oct. 2007), 98 pts

"A stunning combination of density and purity, with a nearly distilled essence of kirsch and blackberry fruit that's layered with exotic fig, graphite, licorice and spice cake notes. The long finish is full throttle, yet racy and balanced. 100 percent Grenache. Drink now through 2009. 125 cases made."
- Wine Spectator (Apr 2008), 97 pts

"Inky ruby. Room-filling bouquet evokes dark cherry, boysenberry, graphite, fresh lavender and anise. Palate-staining red and dark berry liqueur flavors are uncannily fresh and precise, managing to be both hugely concentrated and strikingly fresh at once. With its echoing notes of sweet dark berry preserves and minerals, this stunning wine doesn't ever seem to finish."
- International Wine Cellar (Jan 2008), 96 pts

"As in 2003, Delorme has produced a 1,500-bottle cuvee of the 2005 La Plume du Peintre, which is 100% Grenache, all of it from old vines on one of the famed sectors of Chateauneuf du Pape, the lieu-dit known as La Crau. Tipping the scales at 16.3% alcohol, this wine is aged two-thirds in neutral wood and tank and one-third in small barrels. It is 100% destemmed Grenache and is meant to last 30-40 years. I wouldn’t be surprised to see the 2003 and 2005 last 40-50 years. The 2005 is inky blue/purple in color with an extraordinary nose of blueberries, off-the-chart levels of polyphenols and dry extract. Tasting just like the concentrated essence of a vintage port but totally dry, this is profound stuff and probably the Chateauneuf du Pape of the vintage, but with such a minuscule production, only a few bottles will ever make it outside the domaine. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2035. Imported by Kysela Père et Fils, LTD." 
- Wine Advocate (issue 169), 96-100 pts

#F0EE15340
UPC code: 7 84585 00684 7
2003 Domaine de la Mordorée, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, La Plume du Peintre 12/750ml
1/3 Grenache, 1/3 Mourvèdre, 1/3 Syrah.
80 year-old vines
Aged in 100% oak barrels.
Deep ruby red and opaque color. Red fruits aromas with notes of leather, mocha, black truffles and coffee. Fat and concentrated on the palate, flavorful with an endless licoriced and fruity finish.
Pairs well with red and game meats, cheeses.

"Christophe Delorme believes the 125-case cuvee of 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape La Plume du Peintre will live for 50 to 100 years. When I looked at the technical analysis, I found this wine to be literally off the charts, and I have certainly never seen a wine from either the southern or northern Rhone with such incredible numbers in terms of dry extract and polyphenol levels. It is no shy wine at 16% alcohol, but it seems incredibly well-balanced although strikingly backward. It is like the concentrated essence of blackberries, scorched earth, and an almost liquefied steel and spice component. Huge and amazingly pure, with profound concentration, magnificent body, and a finish that just seems to be endless, this is the stuff of legends, but there is virtually none of it in the marketplace. Give it about 4-5 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 30+ years." - Robert Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate (Issue 163) - 99 pts

"Dark, saturated ruby. Flamboyantly aromatic nose offers creme de mure, exotic oak spices, dark chocolate and pipe tobacco. Thick and creamy in texture, showing deeply concentrated kirsch, blackberry and baking spice flavors that saturate the palate and cling endlessly. The round, sweet tannins beautifully complement the lush fruit. A dramatic, stunning effort, but only 1,500 bottles were produced."
- Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, 95 pts

National Retail Price: $320.00 / bottle