Four 1989 Châteauneuf-du-Papes and a Gigondas

1989 Château Fortía Châteauneuf-du-Pape

1989 Château Mont-Redon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

1989 Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf-du-Pape

1989 Paul Jaboulet Aine "Les Cedres" Châteauneuf-du-Pape

1989 Paul Jaboulet Aine Pierre Aiguille Gigondas

The Gang of Pour

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Storyline by Bastardo
Graphics and Design by the Artist

Setting

Not long after our initial Gang story (documented in "Battle of the '94 Chardonnays"), we received the following email:

"hello gang! We are self-confessed wine philistines ("Is it less than $10 a bottle? Buy it!") but we yearn to be educated. We have some 1988 and 1989 Châteauneuf du Pape's in the basement to share -

The bookseller and the chanteuse."

Chanteuse is actually an old friend of The Director's and this taster, and her offer regarding the Châteauneufs was particularly enticing. (In fact we'd sipped the '89 Vieux Telegraph with her and The Bookseller on two other occasions, a few years back.) After several months of schedule conflicts, we finally got together on August 2nd. In attendance were The Artist, The Geek, Canadian Zinfan, Zinchick, Chanteuse, The Bookseller, and, of course, the Madame and myself.

Besides the Les Cedres, Vieux Telegraphe, and Mont-Redon bottlings that the newcomers contributed, there was also the Geek's Chateau Fortia, and this taster's Gigondas. A Chateau de Beaucastel would have been an interesting addition; however, the only one available in this market was priced at $110, and even with the discount that was offered, the cost was deemed to be too steep. A '94 Jaboulet Aine Muscat Baumes de Venice, brought by The Artist, was never opened, for some reason.

The wines were tasted blind, using The Artist's four cork scale. After tabulating the scores, we enjoyed the remainder with a fine dinner, prepared by The Director, with a very able assist from the Zinfan. The meal included grilled leg of lamb and various grilled veggies, including sweet corn, sliced red peppers, scallions, sliced portabella mushrooms, and whole garlic cloves. There was also a pasta, with The Director's own home-made, home-grown pesto sauce. Afterwards, bread and various cheeses were served, including another wheel of that fabulous, stinky Germaine Epoisses, provided by the Zinpeople.

The Wines