2007 Le Clos du Caillou "Les Safres" Chateauneuf du Pape

93 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate  

The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape les Safres continues to show brilliantly, and this is a ripe, sexy, exuberant 2007 that doesn’t pull any punches in its kirsch, black raspberry, violet and sandy/loamy soils aromas and flavors. I’d happily drink this beauty over the coming 4-5 years, and it will keep even longer. (JD)   (2/2017)

Varietal: Grenache

About Grenache: Fat, ripe and rich with ample fruit and vibrant acidity, wines made from Grenache are easy to love. A hearty grape, Grenache does well in hot, dry regions and its sturdy stalk also makes it well-suited to withstand blustery conditions like the Provençal Mistral. It ripens at relatively high sugar levels, which translates to higher potential alcohol in the wines it produces. Grenache may be most famous in the Southern Rhône areas such as Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Gigondas where it has long been an important component of delicious blends. 

2008 Joh. Jos. Pruem Graacher Himmelreich Auslese

95 points Wine Spectator

"A superb auslese in the delicate, crackling style. Vibrant acidity provides relief for the floral, apple, peach, lime and slate aromas and flavors. Shows terrific balance and harmony, with a silky texture and a lingering aftertaste. Its best years are yet to come." (4/30/10)

Just upstream from the famed Wehlener Sonnenuhr is the Graacher Himmelreich. With deeper, richer soils, this site is a little less steep and its southwest exposure ensures the wines from this site always have a racy and juicy acid background that really make the wines sing. The 2008 vintage at the Joh Jos Prum estate was fantastic for Kabinett and Spatlese level wines, with a small amount of sleek, charming Auslese as well.

Varietal: Riesling

About Riesling: Perhaps Riesling's biggest claims to fame are its intoxicating perfume, often described as having honeyed stone fruit, herb, apple and citrus notes, and its incredible longevity - the wines lasting for decades. Aged Rieslings often take on a distinctive and alluring Petrol-like aroma. Within Germany, the grape seems to do best in the warming slate soils of the Mosel-Saar-Ruwer. Other German regions that turn out great Rieslings include Pfalz, Rheingau and Nahe. German Rieslings are made in a range of ripeness levels. The top wines are assigned Prädikat levels to describe their ripeness at harvest. These are: Kabinett, Spätlese, Auslese, Beerenauslese, Eiswein and Trockenbeerenauslese.