Robert Parker WA191- 91 Point: "The outstanding 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape reveals a dark plum/garnet color along with a sweet nose of cranberries, black cherries, smoke, herbs and meat juices. Fleshy, medium to full-bodied and silky smooth, this endearing seductive 2008 should drink nicely for 7-8 years. Pascal and Vincent Maurel appear to have achieved great success in both 2008 and 2009 (and don’t forget they produced three perfect wines in 2007). To say they are on a qualitative hot streak is the understatement of the wine world.......Clos Saint-Jean’s first successes were from 2003 when they produced some of the best wines of the vintage. They have followed those successes with wines that are in the top 10-12 Chateauneufs of the vintage every year – no easy task given the young generation that is pushing the qualitative envelope further and further with each new vintage. Everything is made with extraordinary attention to detail....."
Ikke meget langt fra niveauet for topårene . Kvalitetsniveauet her er enorm. Vincent Maurel har haft held i 2008, hans vinmarker har kun fået en brøkdel af den regn som de normalt skulle have fået. Efter nogle beluftning, udvikler vinen en fængslende buket sort-røde frugter (hindbær, blommer, bær). Nice-tæthed, modne tanniner og en silkeagtig dejlig-finalen med nogle røg i baggrunden. Moderne og elegant stil, der er umiskendeligt Clos St. Jean! Undervurderede, vil jeg sige helt klart!
75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre, Cinsault 3%, 3% + Muscardin Vaccarèse / gennemsnitlige alder på vinstokkene er 70 år!