Domaine Berthet-Rayne Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2003

Purple and garnet with a slight pink hue to the rim. On the nose this wine offers a melange of purple flowers (lilac, lavender and violets), black plum, blackberries, fresh herb and a warm note that at one point reminded of freshly-made popcorn. The palate is similar with the fruit, but also adds nice weight, intense grape tannins, a stony minerality and some of the famous latent Rhône heat, as if the <I>galets</I> were in my glass. A long finish matched well with the balanced acidity, but either decant or come back in a few years.