Is the Pope bombastic?

No one opened a Châteauneuf-du-Pape for Wine Blogging Wednesday's Rhône theme. I'm guessing this is because these wines have a reputation that is just too lofty. Jathan at Winexpression hosted the event and did great job presenting the topic and the many posts devoted to it. So why did no one feel the need to splurge? Isn't Wine Blogging Wednesday good to you? Couldn't someone have popped a cork to feel the love? (Dr. Vino did actually review some Châteauneuf, but only after he stumbled upon a promotional bottle doing the rounds.)

What's even more weird is that at least eight WBW bloggers (and myself too) went so far as to mention Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and then reach for a Côtes du Ventoux or some other secondary Rhône appellation instead. Catherine at Purple liquid brought up Châteauneuf-du-Pape three times in her post -- never tasting it but rather writing about it as part of the oenological profile and historic heyday of Counoise. Catherine always provides great perspective, but she wasn't breaking out the good stuff that night. Then there's The Caveman and Beau at Basic Juice who proudly introduce to their cellared Châteauneuf-du-Papes, thumbing the capsules teasingly, only to eventually pronounce the bottles "way too powerful" or, my favourite, "sufficiently complimentary." Hah! Fine. Keep your Châteauneuf all to yourselves. Admittedly, I myself (Doktor Weingolb) pulled the same thing, calling my imperious Pape prized, expensive, special. Grumble. And then I whined about having to find something else to blog about. Shame!

People, what's wrong with us? Is it just because the mid-week WBW is on a school night? Or are Châteauneuf-du-Papes really just too good to drink? Is it that we are not worthy? Or does all the overweening pride in the wine world make name-dropping a requisite feature of this event? I think some of us owe Jathan an apology here!