Cairanne “Réserve des Seigneurs” 2005 – Domaine de l’Oratoire Saint-Martin – AOC “Côtes du Rhône Villages” and alcohol 14.5% are only mentioned on the back label – (approx. € 11,50 and excellent QPR in most vintages).
The purpose of this note is to explore the behaviour of a usually reliably fine wine in the 2005 vintage. Previous bottles showed strong reductive aromas of rotten eggs. So, for this bottle, I resolved to try the decanting with copper coin treatment, which was suggested by Dirk Niepoort for one of his wines and is also, I think, recommended by Robin for cases like this.
Upon opening the bottle exhibited the usual rotten egg aromas. I placed my copper (old Belgian 50 centime piece) in the neck of the decanting funnel and poured. During the decanting I noticed some sweet dark fruit aromas but, upon sniffing the neck of the decanter, there remained notes of rotten egg although less intense than from the bottle before decanting.
Clearly more energetic treatment was required, so I placed the stopper on the decanter and shook the wine vigorously twice and then removed the stopper for about 45 minutes before serving. In the glass the rotten eggs aroma had almost completely disappeared but there was virtually nothing else at all on the nose beyond a hint of sweetness.
So I seem to have removed the bouquet but the treatment worked by and large. I am unable to say what part was decisive.
And how was the wine on the PALATE once cleaned? In spite of absence of bouquet after treatment, it was surprisingly good; rich, velvety and mouth-filling showing lots of ripe, sweet fruit; probably riper and richer but showing less liveliness and attractive pepper and spice than the excellent 2004.
After finishing the decanter, I poured the heeltaps from the bottle into my glass and, lo and behold, strong rotten eggs again on the nose and also more than hints in the after-taste. This is further confirmation of the efficacy of the treatment; air alone did not do the job.