NV Xavier Vignon Chateauneuf du Pape la Réserve VII IX X (in Magnum)

96pt Magnums: Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Réserve VII IX X … “Hedonistic and decadent”

After a couple days in Montpellier recovering from jet lag, then a quick jaunt to the Roussillon to see Bila-Haut and Roc des Anges, we made a quick detour to the east for an afternoon with Xavier Vignon in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

Lunch outside Vignon’s new winery was simple enough: grilled quail with plenty of roasted peppers, zucchini, and onion. Classic Provençal fare. But when it came to the libations, all notion of simplicity was forgotten. We only visit Xavier once per year and the enologist was determined to make the most of it.

First came a vertical lineup of Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blancs, beginning in 2010. Then a handful of old-vine reds drawn from the rugged moonscapes of Gigondas and Vacqueyras. All of these selections were reminders of wines we’ve tasted before — sumptuous, beautifully structured reds that seem locked in suspended animation. But Xavier saved the best for last.

In the fall of 2013, Xavier Vignon finally released what has fast become one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s greatest cult wines of the last decade. Hours after Robert Parker’s 96-point rating hit the web, every bottle of La Réserve VII IX X was allocated, fueled by a review that called this modernistic powerhouse “an hedonistic and decadent release that dishes out massive amounts of black raspberry, raspberry, spice cake, licorice and crushed flower like nuances on the nose.”

We treated the membership to the first salvo of the 2013 WineAccess Wine of the Year two years ago. The final cork pulled last Friday was indeed La Réserve — but the bottle was OVERSIZED.

From magnum, tasted in oversized Riedel stemware, this stupefying vintage blend remains pitch-black in color, showing no signs whatsoever of its time in bottle. Explosive aromatically, featuring a lavish mix of black raspberry, blackberry preserves, licorice, graphite, splashed with kirsch. Despite its relatively high alcohol level (15 degrees plus), this is that rare ultra-concentrated Châteauneuf that doesn’t show a trace of Port-like flavors or heat. Parker suggested a drinking window that would stay open through 2028. But that was based on a 750ml bottle. Out of magnum, add a decade or more.

300 big bottles remain at the winery. We took them all. $200 on release. Just $115 today — exclusively on WineAccess. Shipping included on 2.

• ABV 15.00%
• Enjoy right away
• % Rhone Blend