My wife hasn't been able to join me in enjoying wine since we found out we had a child on the way back in August. Now that our daughter has blessed us with her presence, my wife can sample a little here and there while still handling her motherly duties. I have been taking advantage of closeouts and wine clubs to satisfy my thirst while avoiding our stash of "honeymoon" wine from Washington to save for the two of us to enjoy together.After work Friday, it was decided we were overdue to open a good bottle. My first thoughts were to grab the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape that we've been waiting so anxiously for but I decided to go New World-American instead and pull the 2007 Tranche Cellars Slice of Pape. We picked this up on our honeymoon in Walla Walla last year and I thought it would be prime for drinking right now. Tranche Cellars' Slice of Pape series focuses on the blends of the Southern Rhone region in France. This is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mouvedre, and Cinsault.
Right out of the bottle was loads of raspberry and spice on the nose. It continued to open for the next half hour or so, displaying more fruit, smoke, and pepper. This is a medium to full bodied wine with red fruit on the palate and more notes of smokiness. It continues with undertones of tar, caramel, and licorice with light tannins, wonderful acidity, and a smooth finish. This most certainly hangs with it's Old World counterparts. I would go as far as to say it is better than any "value" Chateauneuf I have had. This is an overall excellent wine!
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