TN: Charles Melton 2004 Nine Popes

Wayno · Post by **Wayno** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 8:25 pm

Reckon this is a bit overrated or overpriced, same thing in a way. Prickling with over-the-top fruit in a bombed out style, the palate was a touch coarse and the finish a bit hot and alcoholic. For mine, out of balance. Loads of fruit, bits of oak, packed with richness and a bit clumsy; nothing on the 1998 of this I had some time back (refined, secondary and just plain good).
Lesson? Maybe just way too young but this should probably be more approachable now in my view.

Paullie · Post by **Paullie** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:02 pm

You just made my day, I recently picked up three 98's.

I had the 1996 at an offline a fair few months ago, and that was very enjoyable, and approachable.

rwatkins · Post by **rwatkins** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 2:23 am

Put on a tasting for dentists last night and the hit of the night was the 2003 Nine Popes. ($50.00 Canadian) Eveyone loved the plush fruit and lack of harsh tannin, just soft and velvety in the mouth. A close second was the Massena Eleventh Hour Shiraz 2004 ($55.00 Canadian). Much more interesting than the Nine Popes, to my mind it is the better wine, but the crowd went for power over elegance. I have several botlles of each put away in my cellar. Thanks - Rick

Wizz · Post by **Wizz** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 7:51 am

Wayno we did a vertical of these about 2 years ago reaching back to the early 1990s. The wines were all good, and the theme of the day was that vintage variation was surprisingly small.

Having said that the wines were good - but not exciting. Bets wines on the day were 1996 and 2002, and the 2002 seemed to be a completely different style to all the others.

In price terms, Melton is getting up there, I'm finding it hard to pay $50 for these wines, particularly with a tasting not turning up anything magical with age,

AB

Wayno · Post by **Wayno** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 2:36 pm

I reckon I have had the 96 too and enjoyed it. Vaguely recall ladies' handbags and maybe a bit of nail polish but in a really pleasant way. Certainly the 04 wasn't anything to write home about for $50+ (we drunk it in a restaurant for considerably more).

Craig(NZ) · Post by **Craig(NZ)** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 6:01 pm

Yes the 96 was very good. think i still have one left. i also really enjoyed the 95 - a bit bigger and more of a brute than the 96 but all you want in a warm clime red was there.

seanwines · Post by **seanwines** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 8:56 pm

Re Nine Popes, I think you will find the 2005 different again!

Got to start knocking off my 98's

craig loves shiraz · Post by **craig loves shiraz** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 11:41 am

Wizz wrote:In price terms, Melton is getting up there, I'm finding it hard to pay $50 for these wines, particularly with a tasting not turning up anything magical with age,

AB

Couldn't agree more.

I love Charles Melton wines. In particular, the ROV & the Nine popes. But seriously, it isn't a $50 bottle of wine (The nine popes).

IMHO, just getting to greedy. I'll wander over the road abd grab some basket press TYVM.

DaveB · Post by **DaveB** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 4:55 pm

seanwines wrote:Re Nine Popes, I think you will find the 2005 different again!

Got to start knocking off my 98's

I agree...I went through the range at Charlies a couple of weeks back and the Nine Popes has lost its rustic edge and has a distinctly more modern lean nowadays....likewise the rest of the wines in the range....all seem a lot slicker and plusher.

seanwines · Post by **seanwines** » Wed Oct 24, 2007 7:02 pm

My thoughts when tasting the 2005 Nine Popes, that they had tweeked the blend ratios of this vintage, more Shiraz???

Anyone got TN's of the- 2005 Grains of Paradise Shiraz -