One thing I’ve learned about La Nerthe over the years is that it’s generally better at 10 than it is at 4. So if it’s fairly delicious now, those with extraordinary patience will likely be rewarded in the long run. Thus the 2012 vintage is yet another beautiful Chateauneuf from La Nerthe, with ripe, juicy red-fruit aromas and a generous helping of wood spice, but my strong inclination would be to lay this wine down for another five to eight years and wait for its profound complexities to emerge.
Chateau La Nerthe, Chateauneuf-du-Pape (France) 2012
By Robert Whitley