SEMINAR HYPERLINKS

"Grenache: Down Under & Up & Over, by Bruce Leiserowitz
"Gigondas Masterclass with Louis Barruol and Pascal Roux, by Bruce Leiserowitz
"The Bio-Dynamic Duo with Michel Chapoutier and Ron Laughton", by Bruce Leiserowitz
"Cote-Rotie Condrieu Masterclass",by Bruce Leiserowitz
Is Wine Really "Art"? - Editorial, by Bruce Leiserowitz
Nine Popes Retrospective with Charlie Melton, by Allan Bree

By califusa

NINE POPES RETROSPECTIVE

Charlie Melton (left) began his winemaking career in the Barossa in the early 70’s as apprentice to Peter Lehmann. He set out on his own in 1984, and joined a small group of like-minded winemakers who wanted to revive the “undervalued” varietals of Grenache and Shiraz.

Nine Popes is a blend based on the three major southern Rhone varietals: Grenache, Shiraz and Mourvedre. All three varietals are dry farmed in the Barossa Valley – home to the world’s oldest Shiraz vineyards. These vineyards survived the Phylloxera epidemic of the 1800’s because of a farsighted quarantine policy.

Some of these old vines date back to the first days of Barossa settlements in the 1840’s. Today, Barossa vignerons are the sixth generation custodians of these old dry grown vines. 

“Whilst our wine started out using  Châteauneuf-du-Pape as its model, it has evolved into Australia’s leading “Rhone style” blend. The Grenache perfume and Shiraz spice combine to produce a complex style that will take on lovely sweet/spice characters with age. The intensity of flavors on the palate, which is the hallmark of Nine Popes, comes from the extraordinarily low yields of our Grenache.  With patience, Nine Popes will evolve into a rich smooth style of great longevity.” (from seminar handout)

TASTING NOTES

1995 Nine Popes - some dusty spice and sweet Grenache fruit in the nose - fairly smooth entry - moderate and smooth tannins in the mid-palate - the wine has great structure - rather pleasing, but I would like to see a bit more intensity to balance the structure of the wine. 

1996 Nine Popes - more noticeable alcohol in the nose - more dense color - smoother on the palate - more intensity than the 95 - a very pretty flavor palate - wonderful spice and good balance. 

1997 Nine Popes from magnum - a little bit more sweetness in the aromatics - again, a nicely structured and well-balanced wine - shows good spice and fruit on the palate - some tannins that need to resolve and integrate a bit. So far, I think all of these wines are at least five years away from maturity. 

1998 Nine Popes - again, the signatures sweetness in the aromatics that Charlie Melton spoke about cultivating in the winemaking process - perhaps the most accessible of the vintages I have tasted so far - shows very smooth and elegant Grenache fruit upfront - a nice balance with spice - some long chain tannins that are well polished and glide easily across the palate - this is really a very lovely wine. 

2000 Nine Popes - very dense color from this barrel sample - purple robe that stains the glass - of intellectual interest only, since the wine is still rather clunky and disjointed - has a very nice weight  and intensity in the mouth, but aside from that is very difficult to judge.