Châteauneuf du Pape, Cuvée Reservée, 2003

Dark violet color. Rich, spicy and sweet on the nose, with cherry and blackberry fruit aromas complicated by exotic Asian spices, fresh meat and espresso. This is wonderfully thick, even viscous, but the overall impression is fresh, not tiring, with deep flavors of berries, cherry, dark plum, licorice, garrigue and coffee candy. Expands and puts on weight with aeration, finishing with fully buffered, round tannins. This packs 15.5% alcohol but betrays no heat.