Rhone wines in the Flickinger Fine Wines inventory http://www.flickingerwines.com/wineregions/rhone.asp JLL ****[*] (12/2009): Bright, quite dark robe; has a wide stretch of aroma, poised black fruits that are potentially very lingering, and offer plenty of future variety. The palate has a buttoned up quality - its black berry flavours are fresh and end on a mineral grip. A good, thorough wine, of good heart. As it lengthens, it brings in pepper, cocoa and raisin - more mineral influences. 2026-28 Bottled 5 days ago, note.WS 93 (10/2010): Dark, with lots of mulled plum and currant fruit, but racy, with anise, graphite and tangy olive notes that help the fine-grained finish stretch out. Still tight overall, but there's density and drive here for the cellar, with a latent hint of lavender adding extra dimension. Best from 2011 through 2020. 124 cases imported. IWC 92-94 (2/2010): Inky purple. Deeper and more powerful on the nose than the Chaillot, displaying pungent aromas of cassis, boysenberry, violet, dark chocolate and licorice. Surprisingly lithe on the palate following the richness of the nose, offering vibrant dark berry flavors and a note of refreshingly bitter cherry skin. Turns spicier with air, finishing with strong cut and a persistent floral quality. I really like this wine's blend of masculine character and vibrancy.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomThierryAllemand.aspJLL *** (12/2005): Good, bright robe. Earthy, fundamental bouquet - core Cornas typicity; some violet and damson. Juicy, black fruit start, fruity and wholesome. Tannins appear on cue, and are surrounded by some good matter. Plenty to come. Black fruits-leather combo on finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FranckBalthazar.aspWS 90 (5/2011): Tangy, with lots of green olive, tobacco and pepper notes leading the way, followed by a solid core of winey red currant and crushed raspberry fruit. Still a touch taut, but should flesh out with modest cellaring. Drink now through 2015. 150 cases imported.JLL *** (12/2009): Bottled 3 days ago, only 7,500 b this year. Mid-depth red robe; Smoky, direct nose - raspberry fruit within - it isn`t ample, comes with pockets of mineral. Live red fruit lies on the palate, gains as it goes, is always running directly. It ends clearly, has composure, is a fine, successful 2008, an STGT wine. "I didn`t think we would get to this level - it has improved with time just helping it along. The crop was 13.7°, but it had only gone down to 13.1° after the vinification, which was surprising."- Franck Balthazar. IWC 88-90 (2/2010): Deep red. Bright red and dark berry aromas are complemented by mustard seed, cracked pepper, violet and minerals, with a subtle smokiness emerging with air. Chewy black raspberry and cassis flavors are framed by dusty tannins and show a tangy edge on the back end. Aeration brought out a sweetness that lingers on the nicely persistent, spicy finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FranckBalthazar.aspWS 90 (5/2011): Tangy, with lots of green olive, tobacco and pepper notes leading the way, followed by a solid core of winey red currant and crushed raspberry fruit. Still a touch taut, but should flesh out with modest cellaring. Drink now through 2015. 150 cases imported.JLL *** (12/2009): Bottled 3 days ago, only 7,500 b this year. Mid-depth red robe; Smoky, direct nose - raspberry fruit within - it isn`t ample, comes with pockets of mineral. Live red fruit lies on the palate, gains as it goes, is always running directly. It ends clearly, has composure, is a fine, successful 2008, an STGT wine. "I didn`t think we would get to this level - it has improved with time just helping it along. The crop was 13.7°, but it had only gone down to 13.1° after the vinification, which was surprising."- Franck Balthazar. IWC 88-90 (2/2010): Deep red. Bright red and dark berry aromas are complemented by mustard seed, cracked pepper, violet and minerals, with a subtle smokiness emerging with air. Chewy black raspberry and cassis flavors are framed by dusty tannins and show a tangy edge on the back end. Aeration brought out a sweetness that lingers on the nicely persistent, spicy finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FranckBalthazar.aspWS 92 (4/2010): This is old school, with lots of grilled thyme and dried lavender notes, followed by roasted fig, coffee, game and olive flavors. All of it is backed by burly-textured tannins and a taut, chalky minerality. Best from 2011 through 2017. 75 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FranckBalthazar.aspWA 89 (1/2003): An example that possessed considerable brett from its inception, as well as plenty of beefy, sweaty horse smells is the 1983. This effort, while slightly in decline, still offers impressive aromatics (if you like your reds meaty and kinky), but the tannin is beginning to poke through at the back of the mouth. Rich and medium to full-bodied, the 1983 is undoubtedly spectacular out of larger formats, but from regular bottles, it is beginning to show some fatigue, even from my cold cellar. Drink it up.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 97 (1/2003): The 1989 is inkier/purple in color than the 1990, with an extraordinarily sweet, rich personality offering up notes of smoke, melted licorice, black cherries, Asian spices, and cassis. Full-bodied and concentrated, it is one of the most powerful as well as highly extracted Beaucastels I have ever tasted. It requires another 3-4 years to reach its plateau of maturity, where it should remain for at least two decades.WS 97 (10/1991): Perhaps the greatest Beaucastel ever produced. Has the class and structure of a great vintage of Mouton-Rothschild. Deep, inky in color, with intense herb, plum, game and spice aromas, this full-bodied wine has an explosion of fruit and an iron backbone. Try the beginning of next century.JLL ***** (11/2007): Red and ruby mix in a bright robe; the bouquet is fresh and bouncy – shows cinnamon, mild spices, mature plum, with a little menthol and a wee snapcrackle of pepper. The palate is still enclosed by some lithe, live but now yielding tannins. It is still a wine from the military academy, carrying the upright shape of the vintage. It grows a little in emphasis, and acquires a concentrated burst late on, as it moves actively along both sideways and forward. There is a lot of life on the palate, and plenty of future here. Tasted blind. Once ID known, this does not surprise me – the 1989 has always been the wild child against the more padded shoulder 1990, but the depth has certainly been sufficient to take care of its vigorous tannins.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspJLL ***** (11/2007): The robe has reached a plum-red stage. The nose is a little pointed, as if this is from a less ripe, more austere vintage; there is plenty of space and air in the bouquet, and with breathing, a crisp, vegetal note emerges. There is some red plum jam in a low key expression today. The palate is very well-knit, and there is a lot of wine here. It has good, fresh uplift with sound matter. Beyond the early fruit, plenty of tannic exuberance comes out, completing a good length on the palate. This is another Beaucastel delivered in what I term a more Bordeaux style, a wine that lives on its reserve. There is sound late richness, and pretty late fruit. The texture is still grainy. From 2009 for its real flourishing. Tasted blind. No surprise to find this is a 1995 - a vintage that was tannic from the dry year, and needed patience.MB *** [*]: Medium depth and intensity; attractive fruit, very distinctive; a delicious mouthful, good fruit, still tannic and a citrus-edge adding to its refreshing acidity. WA 93 (10/1997): The classic 1995 Chateauneuf du Pape will require discipline. Like most top vintages of Beaucastel, a decade of patience will be warranted before this wine will be enjoyable to drink. Given how tight and closed the 1993 and 1994 are, it is the rare vintage of Beaucastel (1989, 1990, and 1995) that is accessible in its youth, yet they will remain capable of aging for 20-25 years. In some ways, proprietors Francois and Jean-Pierre Perrin might be accused of trying to make the wine too long-lived, as if this is the primary merit to a great red wine. The 1995 will have three decades of longevity, but it will not be approachable before 2006. It exhibits a deep dark ruby/purple color, and a provocative (probably controversial) aromatic profile of animal fur, tar, truffles, black cherries, cassis, licorice, and minerals. A medium to full-bodied wine, with a boatload of tannin, considerable grip and structure, and a weighty feel in the mouth, this appears to be a classic vin de garde made in the style of the 1978 Beaucastel (which is still not close to full maturity). Prospective purchasers over the age of forty should be buying this wine for their children.WS 92 (11/1998): This rich red still shows the backward intensity of youth, with a dark color and initially reductive aromas. But be patient--behind the firm tannins there's a core of ripe, rich plum, with notes of game, herb and mineral that promise complexity with age. Best after 2000.RR 92 (8/2010): While the '96 seems ready to go, this bottle of 1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape started open and lush but slowly firmed up, presenting an almost clean, civilized bouquet of earthy black cherry, truffle, roasted meats, and a touch of tobacco. I love the clarity and focus on the nose. The palate follows suit with medium body, plenty of ripe fruit, a smooth, balanced character and a classy finish. After a less than stellar showing by a recent bottle, this reaffirms my belief that this has a long life ahead of it. Will it improve? I don't know and it's certainly delicious now. I would hold bottles for another 2 to 3 years and then drink over the following decade.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspIWC 90 (2/2000): Good deep ruby-red. Spicy aromas of black cherry and bitter chocolate; the 40% mourvedre component gives this wine unusual freshness for a '97. Silky but bright on the palate, with leather and game nuances adding complexity to the black fruit flavors. Brisk finish hints at tree bark and leather. WS 88 (12/1999): A clever effort for '97. Dark and fruit-driven, this fresh, compacted Châteauneuf delivers blackberry, toasted oak, plum and game. The tannins are well integrated in the ways of modern winemaking. Drink now through 2005.WA 89-91 (2/1999): Yields for the 1997 Chateauneuf du Pape were tiny, averaging 22 hectoliters per hectare, and the wine is one of the most seductive and forward young Beaucastels I have tasted since the 1985. The blend was 35% Mourvedre, 30% Grenache, 10% Counoise, 5% Syrah, 5% Cinsault, and the rest other southern Rhone varietals. The deep ruby color is accompanied by forward, attractive aromatics consisting of black raspberries, cherries, licorice, floral, and herb scents. The wine is fruit-driven, with less structure than usual, but luscious cassis, licorice, and blackberries inundate the palate with no hard edges. A seductive, supple-textured, medium to full-bodied Beaucastel, this wine should drink well young, and last for 15 or more years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspIWC 92+ (2/2002): Full ruby. Highly complex nose combines black fruits, gibier, truffle, road tar, licorice and leather. Very intense and spicy, but still tightly wound, with a firm acid spine keeping the flavors under wraps. "Very interior wine today," notes Perrin. But one already senses the incipient complexity. Finishes with building tannins, a note of caramel and terrific persistence. This will need time.WA 91 (12/2001): The prodigious 1999 Beaucastel boasts aromas of blackberry fruit intermixed with cassis, licorice, roasted meats, leather, and truffles. While it does not possess much fat or precociousness, it displays definition and elegance. This is a full-bodied, concentrated, classic Beaucastel. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. WS 90 (8/2002): Like some '99s, it's a bit leaner than the '00s or '98s, but it's well-made, with youthful exuberance of ripe fruit, toasted oak, grilled meat, smoked chestnuts and blood orange, ironlike notes. Best from 2005 through 2010. 16,665 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWS 94 (5/2006): Young and tight, with garrigue and roasted game aromas peeking out from a core of ripe black currant, plum and fig fruit. Lots of toast tobacco and iron as well. The finish is well-endowed with tannins, but they are ripe and pure. Best from 2008 through 2025. 15,000 cases made.JLL ****[*] (6/2006): Inky, solid robe. The bouquet shows brambly fruit, with a petrol side, also pine - there is a lot of variety and a challenging display of aromas, like Star Wars the aromas come from all directions. There is some pastille flavour on the palate - black, quite savoury fruits that are really compact and flowing, easy to drink. Lots of content here - the fruit prune, damson, and from mid-palate I detect a Grenache influence. This will please people.IWC 93 (2/2006): Deep, dense red color. Vibrant aromas of aromas of cherry, wild herbs, fresh flowers and minerals. Energetic and sweet, showing no overripe qualities; offers a silky, suave texture and wonderfully pure red berry, fresh plum, kirsch and fig flavors. Those with an aversion to the funky, gamey character that can characterize Beaucastel in "typical" vintages owe it to themselves to check this out. Clearly, the Perrins know what to do with grenache, even if it's not their favorite grape.WA 92 (2/2006): The 2003 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape turned out as well as I could have hoped and is certainly an outstanding wine, deep ruby/purple with a tight but promising nose of black fruits, loamy, earthy notes intermixed with pepper, smoke, licorice, and dried herbs. The wine is somewhat closed in the mouth (but it had been bottled 30 days prior to my visit), has full bodied, moderately high, slightly rustic tannins, but big-impact flavors with plenty of texture, density, and purity. Give this wine 3-5 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 20 years.RR 92 (2/2009): The 2003 Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape isn't one for the ages and shows a clear, semi-opaque, ruby color along with an upfront, sweet nose of licorice, hot stones, hoisin sauce and roasted herbs. The palate is medium to full bodied with ripe (overripe?) fruit, a light, smooth texture and an enjoyable finish. All in all, an outstanding and seemingly early maturing wine.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspJLL ****[*] (11/2007): Very intense, dark red robe, the colour all the way up; dense nose with reduction in it, there is black berry here, some oily notes, and a sappy richness evident. Bristling red berry fruits on the palate, with a mulled nature. From half way lengthens and extends well. Is abroad wine, laced with light pepper and cinnamon, even coffee notes. Ripe, almost gourmand, this is a texture wine. Length is good, shows late smokiness.WA 95 (10/2008): As I stated last year, there is no Hommage a Jacques Perrin in 2006, but Beaucastel’s 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is performing even better from bottle than it did last year. Its dense plum/ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet perfume of black truffles, camphor, earth, incense, new saddle leather, and loads of peppery, blackberry, and herb-infused, meaty, black cherry fruit. Deep, full-bodied, and dense, with sweet tannin, this explosively rich Chateauneuf is a stronger effort than the 2005, 2004, or 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028.RR 94+ (8/2009): A fantastic wine, the 2006 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape fleshes out with air and displays deep, earthy aromatics of dark fruit, roasted meat, graphite, mushroom and old wood. In the mouth, the wine displays a medium to full bodied, structured personality to go with a fantastic texture, concentrated fruit and a long finish. If drinking anytime soon this needs plenty of air. IWC 93 (2/2009): Vivid ruby. Spicy, finely etched red berry and cherry aromas are complicated by fresh lavender, herbs and minerals. The palate offers tangy raspberry and cherry skin flavors, with gentle tannins adding shape. Impressively pure, even delicate, with outstanding finishing clarity and length. This beguiles rather than brutalizes; I underestimated it last year.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspJLL ****[*] (11/2007): Very intense, dark red robe, the colour all the way up; dense nose with reduction in it, there is black berry here, some oily notes, and a sappy richness evident. Bristling red berry fruits on the palate, with a mulled nature. From half way lengthens and extends well. Is abroad wine, laced with light pepper and cinnamon, even coffee notes. Ripe, almost gourmand, this is a texture wine. Length is good, shows late smokiness.WA 95 (10/2008): As I stated last year, there is no Hommage a Jacques Perrin in 2006, but Beaucastel’s 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is performing even better from bottle than it did last year. Its dense plum/ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet perfume of black truffles, camphor, earth, incense, new saddle leather, and loads of peppery, blackberry, and herb-infused, meaty, black cherry fruit. Deep, full-bodied, and dense, with sweet tannin, this explosively rich Chateauneuf is a stronger effort than the 2005, 2004, or 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028.RR 94+ (8/2009): A fantastic wine, the 2006 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape fleshes out with air and displays deep, earthy aromatics of dark fruit, roasted meat, graphite, mushroom and old wood. In the mouth, the wine displays a medium to full bodied, structured personality to go with a fantastic texture, concentrated fruit and a long finish. If drinking anytime soon this needs plenty of air. IWC 93 (2/2009): Vivid ruby. Spicy, finely etched red berry and cherry aromas are complicated by fresh lavender, herbs and minerals. The palate offers tangy raspberry and cherry skin flavors, with gentle tannins adding shape. Impressively pure, even delicate, with outstanding finishing clarity and length. This beguiles rather than brutalizes; I underestimated it last year.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 90 (10/2010): The 2008 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape is one of the few outstanding wines produced in this vintage. More evolved than Beaucastel’s wines tend to be, it reveals a healthy dark plum/ruby color, notes of licorice, meat juices, smoked game, black currants and garrigue, medium to full body, silky tannins, good freshness, surprising depth for the vintage and a long finish. Drink it over the next decade. WS 93 (6/2011): Ripe and very sleek, with a dense core of cassis, blackberry and anise framed by violet and spice. The long finish drips with juicy fruit and subtle toast, with a flash of iron boding well for cellaring. Shows great freshness and balance for the vintage. Drink now through 2024. 9,166 cases made. RR 92 (9/2011): A superb showing by the 2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape and a very complete wine that will surprise people who think ’08 was a poor vintage. Showing solid complexity and an open personality, with aromas of meat, lavender, garrigue, and licorice, medium body, solid concentration, and plenty of length, this will be a relatively early drinking wine by Beaucastel standards. Never the less, it should continue to positively evolve for 3-5 years and have 15 years of longevity. JLL ***[*] (6/2010): Half the crop this year, this bottled 1 month ago. Steady red robe, with nice and not overdone depth. Quietly poised but live bouquet – a point shape of dark fruit leads it, brings in a little bacon, grilled and also vanilla notes. Plucky red fruits on the palate – there is energy in them, but they are not big and obvious. The fruit`s brightness is aided by a little Mourvèdre that comes through on the finish, and adds structure and sides to the wine. This a precise, Nordic style wine. The fruit length is sound. “It is possible to compare this to 2006, 2004 or going further back, 1980,” François Perrin.IWC 91 (4/2011): Vivid ruby. Enticing aromas of raspberry, dried flowers and spice cake. Sweet and penetrating, offering sappy flavors of red and dark berries, candied flowers and chewing tobacco. Combines depth and juiciness smoothly, finishing with gentle grip and persistent florality.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 90 (10/2010): The 2008 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape is one of the few outstanding wines produced in this vintage. More evolved than Beaucastel’s wines tend to be, it reveals a healthy dark plum/ruby color, notes of licorice, meat juices, smoked game, black currants and garrigue, medium to full body, silky tannins, good freshness, surprising depth for the vintage and a long finish. Drink it over the next decade. WS 93 (6/2011): Ripe and very sleek, with a dense core of cassis, blackberry and anise framed by violet and spice. The long finish drips with juicy fruit and subtle toast, with a flash of iron boding well for cellaring. Shows great freshness and balance for the vintage. Drink now through 2024. 9,166 cases made. RR 92 (9/2011): A superb showing by the 2008 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape and a very complete wine that will surprise people who think ’08 was a poor vintage. Showing solid complexity and an open personality, with aromas of meat, lavender, garrigue, and licorice, medium body, solid concentration, and plenty of length, this will be a relatively early drinking wine by Beaucastel standards. Never the less, it should continue to positively evolve for 3-5 years and have 15 years of longevity. JLL ***[*] (6/2010): Half the crop this year, this bottled 1 month ago. Steady red robe, with nice and not overdone depth. Quietly poised but live bouquet – a point shape of dark fruit leads it, brings in a little bacon, grilled and also vanilla notes. Plucky red fruits on the palate – there is energy in them, but they are not big and obvious. The fruit`s brightness is aided by a little Mourvèdre that comes through on the finish, and adds structure and sides to the wine. This a precise, Nordic style wine. The fruit length is sound. “It is possible to compare this to 2006, 2004 or going further back, 1980,” François Perrin.IWC 91 (4/2011): Vivid ruby. Enticing aromas of raspberry, dried flowers and spice cake. Sweet and penetrating, offering sappy flavors of red and dark berries, candied flowers and chewing tobacco. Combines depth and juiciness smoothly, finishing with gentle grip and persistent florality.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 93 (1/2003): The 1994 is the odd man out in this mini-vertical, revealing an animal-styled personality with notes of beef blood, animal fur, wet dog, mushrooms, tree bark, licorice, spice, black currants, and cherries. Medium to full-bodied and rich, but slightly awkward compared to its siblings, it should be drinkable between 2006-2020. Hindsight suggests this might not have been a vintage in which to produce a Jacques Perrin.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 96-98 (2/2007): It is only made in the top vintages, but the very limited cuvee of 500 or so cases of Hommage a Jacques Perrin, which is a wine with 60% Mourvedre and the rest the other permitted varietals, primarily Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, and some Vaccarese, was produced in both 2005 and 2004. The 2004 is potentially one of the legendary Jacques Perrin cuvees since the debut vintage of 1989. The potentially perfect 2004 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin has turned out to be just an amazing wine and one of the profound examples of this cuvee the Perrins have produced. It certainly has all the power, density, and richness of the great years, but there is almost a surreal elegance and lightness for a wine this powerful and dense. Almost difficult to describe, the gorgeous multi-layered texture, and the heavenly perfume of smoked meats, flowers, blueberries, blackberries, creosote, and truffles is a knock-out. In the mouth, it is medium to full-bodied with incredible intensity, purity, and overall symmetry. There’s nothing out of place in this remarkable wine, and it seems somewhat approachable already, yet it will no doubt have the uncanny ability to age for 25-40+ years.IWC 96-98 (2/2007): Saturated ruby. Remarkably deep nose combines cherry, raspberry, licorice, smoked meat and mineral notes, all lifted by an intense floral quality. A stunning example of freshness and precision married to power, with deep cassis, bitter cherry and candied licorice flavors enlivened by zesty minerality and framed by firm but harmonious tannins. "This is not about extraction," notes Perrin. The endless finish echoes the mineral and floral tones, showing a persistent lavender note. This was not yet bottled when I tasted it.WS 96 (7/2007): A powerful, modern style, delivering a torrent of cassis and cocoa notes backed by a second wave of tar and fig paste. Densely structured from start to finish, with floral and mineral hints in the background. Pure and driven, this is steel-plated for the long haul. 60 percent Mourvèdre, with Grenache, Syrah and Counoise. Best from 2008 through 2027. 500 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 90 (1/2003): The 1994 seems less successful than my early tastings indicated. The high percentage of Mourvedre (40% versus the normal 30%) has given it an earthy, leathery character with hints of mushrooms and tree bark. Although dense and chewy, it remains tannic and firm. It will keep for two decades, but it is not a hedonistic example and how much pleasure it will provide remains to be seen.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspJLL ***** (11/2007): The robe has reached a plum-red stage. The nose is a little pointed, as if this is from a less ripe, more austere vintage; there is plenty of space and air in the bouquet, and with breathing, a crisp, vegetal note emerges. There is some red plum jam in a low key expression today. The palate is very well-knit, and there is a lot of wine here. It has good, fresh uplift with sound matter. Beyond the early fruit, plenty of tannic exuberance comes out, completing a good length on the palate. This is another Beaucastel delivered in what I term a more Bordeaux style, a wine that lives on its reserve. There is sound late richness, and pretty late fruit. The texture is still grainy. From 2009 for its real flourishing. Tasted blind. No surprise to find this is a 1995 - a vintage that was tannic from the dry year, and needed patience.MB *** [*]: Medium depth and intensity; attractive fruit, very distinctive; a delicious mouthful, good fruit, still tannic and a citrus-edge adding to its refreshing acidity.WA 93 (10/1997): The classic 1995 Chateauneuf du Pape will require discipline. Like most top vintages of Beaucastel, a decade of patience will be warranted before this wine will be enjoyable to drink. Given how tight and closed the 1993 and 1994 are, it is the rare vintage of Beaucastel (1989, 1990, and 1995) that is accessible in its youth, yet they will remain capable of aging for 20-25 years. In some ways, proprietors Francois and Jean-Pierre Perrin might be accused of trying to make the wine too long-lived, as if this is the primary merit to a great red wine. The 1995 will have three decades of longevity, but it will not be approachable before 2006. It exhibits a deep dark ruby/purple color, and a provocative (probably controversial) aromatic profile of animal fur, tar, truffles, black cherries, cassis, licorice, and minerals. A medium to full-bodied wine, with a boatload of tannin, considerable grip and structure, and a weighty feel in the mouth, this appears to be a classic vin de garde made in the style of the 1978 Beaucastel (which is still not close to full maturity). Prospective purchasers over the age of forty should be buying this wine for their children.WS 92 (11/1998): This rich red still shows the backward intensity of youth, with a dark color and initially reductive aromas. But be patient--behind the firm tannins there's a core of ripe, rich plum, with notes of game, herb and mineral that promise complexity with age. Best after 2000.RR 92 (8/2010): While the ’96 seems ready to go, this bottle of 1995 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape started open and lush but slowly firmed up, presenting an almost clean, civilized bouquet of earthy black cherry, truffle, roasted meats, and a touch of tobacco. I love the clarity and focus on the nose. The palate follows suit with medium body, plenty of ripe fruit, a smooth, balanced character and a classy finish. After a less than stellar showing by a recent bottle, this reaffirms my belief that this has a long life ahead of it. Will it improve? I don’t know and it’s certainly delicious now. I would hold bottles for another 2 to 3 years and then drink over the following decade.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspJR 18 (10/2010): Scented and fresh, still showing some red fruit and a touch of vanilla. Elegant and silky. Lingers with flavours of thyme and a hint of bitter chocolate. 'A Grenache vintage', according to Marc Perrin. WS 95 (9/2007): Very youthful, with a juicy blast of red plum and fig fruit flavors on a racy frame, this also has plenty of spice, tar, plum cake and mineral in reserve, as the finish shows more structure and slowly darkens with time in the glass. Only just starting to hit its stride.--1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape retrospective. Drink now through 2027. 15,000 cases made.JLL ***** (11/2007): The robe still holds a good red core, and is very bright. Has a muted, even, very knit red fruit aroma, with a pretty bit of toffee, and a declaration of ripe fruit hanging in the air. Is promising, with red fruits offering potential for more variety. There is a good, tight attack, a real intense weave on this. The flavour comes in a soaked red cherry style with abundant richness inset. It is reaching a measured stage, but is wholesome and still primary. The red fruit softens up towards the finish. Given its abundant energy, it can move along and evolve very well. There is a little late heat. As the air enters it, it loses some of its acidity, and takes on a more soft and sweet nature. RR 95 (3/2009): The squeaky clean 1998 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape is still a baby in terms of development and offers up pure, precise aromas of black cherry and blackberry fruit intermixed with garrigue, spice, leather and mineral notes. The palate is medium to full bodied with a smooth and rich texture, fantastic balance and a long finish. This wine puts on serious weight with air and needs a long decant to show well. This bottle was drunk over three days and was still superb on day three.WA 92 (6/2010): That may explain the open-knit, complex notes of tree bark, black cherries, licorice, seaweed, pepper, and floral notes in the 1998 Beaucastel. The wine is medium to full-bodied, has nice, sweet tannins, and is surprisingly open and approachable. This wine has reached the beginning of its plateau of maturity, where it should last for at least a decade or more.Atypically forward for a wine from Beaucastel, my recollection is that the actual percentage of Grenache, which never exceeds the Mourvedre in their final blend, was much higher in 1998 than in other years.IWC 90 (6/2009): Good medium red. Aromas of red fruit syrup, cola, milk chocolate, humus, graphite and prune. Sweet, lush and rich, with the fruit syrup flavor showing a distinctly roasted quality. Grew fresher and juicier with a bit of aeration and held its shape nicely, but eventually the pruney element became more pronounced. With little in the way of primary fruit remaining, this doesn't really come alive, in spite of its complexity.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspIWC 92+ (2/2002): Full ruby. Highly complex nose combines black fruits, gibier, truffle, road tar, licorice and leather. Very intense and spicy, but still tightly wound, with a firm acid spine keeping the flavors under wraps. "Very interior wine today," notes Perrin. But one already senses the incipient complexity. Finishes with building tannins, a note of caramel and terrific persistence. This will need time.WA 91 (12/2001): The prodigious 1999 Beaucastel boasts aromas of blackberry fruit intermixed with cassis, licorice, roasted meats, leather, and truffles. While it does not possess much fat or precociousness, it displays definition and elegance. This is a full-bodied, concentrated, classic Beaucastel. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. WS 90 (8/2002): Like some '99s, it's a bit leaner than the '00s or '98s, but it's well-made, with youthful exuberance of ripe fruit, toasted oak, grilled meat, smoked chestnuts and blood orange, ironlike notes. Best from 2005 through 2010. 16,665 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspIWC 92+ (2/2002): Full ruby. Highly complex nose combines black fruits, gibier, truffle, road tar, licorice and leather. Very intense and spicy, but still tightly wound, with a firm acid spine keeping the flavors under wraps. "Very interior wine today," notes Perrin. But one already senses the incipient complexity. Finishes with building tannins, a note of caramel and terrific persistence. This will need time.WA 91 (12/2001): The prodigious 1999 Beaucastel boasts aromas of blackberry fruit intermixed with cassis, licorice, roasted meats, leather, and truffles. While it does not possess much fat or precociousness, it displays definition and elegance. This is a full-bodied, concentrated, classic Beaucastel. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. WS 90 (8/2002): Like some '99s, it's a bit leaner than the '00s or '98s, but it's well-made, with youthful exuberance of ripe fruit, toasted oak, grilled meat, smoked chestnuts and blood orange, ironlike notes. Best from 2005 through 2010. 16,665 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 94 (2/2003): The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape offers a profoundly sweet perfume of melted licorice, blackberries, and black cherries backed up by loads of glycerin, full body, and moderately high but sweet, well-integrated tannin. There is a seamlessness to the 2000 that will make it accessible early in life, and thus atypical for Beaucastel. The 1985 behaved in this manner when young, but the 2000 possesses even more stuffing. Like its 2001 sibling, it is a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance other permitted varietals. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. IWC 93 (1/2003): Red-ruby. Roasted aromas of black fruits, leather, maple syrup and mocha. Initially a bit tight on the palate, but showed a lush, seamless texture as it opened in the glass, without losing its definition. Not quite as dense as the 2001 but very full in the mouth, with a higher-pH impression. Finishes very long, with the ripe tannins coating the front teeth.WS 90 (8/2003): Clean and fresh, bursting with fruit and spices. Full-bodied, it delivers some game, truffle, vanilla notes. It's distinctive and ought to reveal wonderful terroir with age, but for now it hasn't come together. Needs time. Drink now through 2020.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 96 (2/2004): Beaucastel has been on a terrific qualitative roll over the last four vintages, and the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (which Francois Perrin feels is similar to the 1990, although I don’t see that as of yet) is a 15,000-case blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise, and the balance split among the other permitted varietals of the appellation. This inky/ruby/purple-colored cuvee offers a classic Beaucastel bouquet of new saddle leather, cigar smoke, roasted herbs, black truffles, underbrush, and blackberry as well as cherry fruit. It is a superb, earthy expression of this Mourvedre-dominated cuvee. Full-bodied and powerful, it will undoubtedly close down over the next several years, not to re-emerge for 7-8 years. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.IWC 92+ (2/2004): Bright ruby-red. Liqueur-like raspberry, licorice and a medicinal quality on the nose. Then quite backward in the mouth, with very primary dark berry and black cherry flavors hinting at great ripeness. Quite primary today and less animal than usual for a young Beaucastel. Elegant, slow-building finish features fine-grained tannins and excellent grip.WS 91 (6/2004): Ripe and fleshy, with lots of black cherry, plum, anise and tar flavors riding along a succulent palate. Sweet and velvety on the finish; this is drinkable now but will age easily. Drink now through 2011. 5,000 cases imported.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWS 94 (5/2006): Young and tight, with garrigue and roasted game aromas peeking out from a core of ripe black currant, plum and fig fruit. Lots of toast tobacco and iron as well. The finish is well-endowed with tannins, but they are ripe and pure. Best from 2008 through 2025. 15,000 cases made.JLL ****[*] (6/2006): Inky, solid robe. The bouquet shows brambly fruit, with a petrol side, also pine - there is a lot of variety and a challenging display of aromas, like Star Wars the aromas come from all directions. There is some pastille flavour on the palate - black, quite savoury fruits that are really compact and flowing, easy to drink. Lots of content here - the fruit prune, damson, and from mid-palate I detect a Grenache influence. This will please people.IWC 93 (2/2006): Deep, dense red color. Vibrant aromas of aromas of cherry, wild herbs, fresh flowers and minerals. Energetic and sweet, showing no overripe qualities; offers a silky, suave texture and wonderfully pure red berry, fresh plum, kirsch and fig flavors. Those with an aversion to the funky, gamey character that can characterize Beaucastel in "typical" vintages owe it to themselves to check this out. Clearly, the Perrins know what to do with grenache, even if it's not their favorite grape.WA 92 (2/2006): The 2003 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape turned out as well as I could have hoped and is certainly an outstanding wine, deep ruby/purple with a tight but promising nose of black fruits, loamy, earthy notes intermixed with pepper, smoke, licorice, and dried herbs. The wine is somewhat closed in the mouth (but it had been bottled 30 days prior to my visit), has full bodied, moderately high, slightly rustic tannins, but big-impact flavors with plenty of texture, density, and purity. Give this wine 3-5 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 20 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWS 96 (3/2007): Thoroughly primal, with a torrent of raspberry and boysenberry fruit rushing forth. Only shows hints of its rull range, with licorice, incense, graphite and mocha flavors fluttering in the background. Has an iron-clad structure, with a long finish that shows great cut and grip. Best from 2009-2025.WA 93 (2/2007): One of the great successes of the vintage and certainly better than their 2003 is Beaucastel’s 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape. Deep ruby/purple in color with loads of licorice, smoked game, black cherry and blackberry fruit, along with incense and truffle, the wine has fabulous richness, high tannin, medium to full body, and beautiful length, richness, and purity. This is a beauty and one of the vintage’s finest wines. Give it 4-6 years of bottle age and drink it over the next 25+ years. It has the potential to be one of the longest-lived Chateauneuf du Papes of the vintage.IWC 93 (2/2007): Ruby-red. Powerful red and dark berry aromas verge on liqueur-like but are enlivened by zesty mineral and anise accents. Lush, supple and sweet, with deep raspberry and cherry flavors, fine-grained tannins and complicating herb and smoked meat tones. Very smooth on the finish, which is sappy, deep in cherry flavor and impressively long.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWS 96 (4/2008): Really dense and locked up now, this is packed with dark fig, currant and blackberry fruit shrouded by layers of tar, hot stone, bittersweet licorice and espresso. The long, dense finish has a great tug of iron buried within it. Best from 2011 through 2030. 15,000 cases made.JLL ***** (11/2007): Full red, dark raspberry robe; more reserved bouquet than the 2006, carrying red fruits with some dust and tannin in it, and also a nuttiness and golden raisin air. At a quiet stage now. The palate comes in a similar shape to the bouquet: is reserved, fenced in, but there is a good core of elements here that are in great harmony with one another. Extends very well through the palate. Has the discretion of the best vintages, is not showy. There is really good black fruit in this, and good acidity for the future. Ends a little perfumato, is very bonny and interesting all through.WA 94+ (10/2007): The 2005 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape is a wine that probably needs 7-10 years of bottle age. Possibly the most backward and closed Beaucastel made since the 1995, the wine has very high tannins, seems totally closed aromatically, but in the mouth is a weighty wine exhibiting a dense ruby/purple color and tight aromatics consisting of new saddle leather, porcini, meat juices, licorice, tar, and black fruits. The wine is full-bodied, powerful, very tannic, and structured in a dramatically masculine, ageworthy style. This is one for the younger generation or those with considerable patience. I can’t see it being close to drinkable before 2014 and lasting up to 30 or more years.IWC 94 (2/2008): Ruby-red. Blackberry and cassis on the nose, with a complex set of earth, herb and floral qualities adding complexity. Deep and sweet, with bitter cherry and candied licorice flavors and youthfully firm tannins but no hardness. Turns more lively on the finish, picking up a spicy red berry character and leaving a long, pungent herbal trail behind. This needs time. "It's the opposite of a bimbo wine," Perrin offered.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspJLL ****[*] (11/2007): Very intense, dark red robe, the colour all the way up; dense nose with reduction in it, there is black berry here, some oily notes, and a sappy richness evident. Bristling red berry fruits on the palate, with a mulled nature. From half way lengthens and extends well. Is abroad wine, laced with light pepper and cinnamon, even coffee notes. Ripe, almost gourmand, this is a texture wine. Length is good, shows late smokiness.WA 95 (10/2008): As I stated last year, there is no Hommage a Jacques Perrin in 2006, but Beaucastel’s 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is performing even better from bottle than it did last year. Its dense plum/ruby/purple color is followed by a big, sweet perfume of black truffles, camphor, earth, incense, new saddle leather, and loads of peppery, blackberry, and herb-infused, meaty, black cherry fruit. Deep, full-bodied, and dense, with sweet tannin, this explosively rich Chateauneuf is a stronger effort than the 2005, 2004, or 2003. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2028.RR 94+ (8/2009): A fantastic wine, the 2006 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape fleshes out with air and displays deep, earthy aromatics of dark fruit, roasted meat, graphite, mushroom and old wood. In the mouth, the wine displays a medium to full bodied, structured personality to go with a fantastic texture, concentrated fruit and a long finish. If drinking anytime soon this needs plenty of air. IWC 93 (2/2009): Vivid ruby. Spicy, finely etched red berry and cherry aromas are complicated by fresh lavender, herbs and minerals. The palate offers tangy raspberry and cherry skin flavors, with gentle tannins adding shape. Impressively pure, even delicate, with outstanding finishing clarity and length. This beguiles rather than brutalizes; I underestimated it last year.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 92-94+ (10/2011): The Chateau Beaucastel 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape is a classic blend of 30% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 10% Counoise and the balance other permitted varietals. Surprisingly ripe and soft with a dense ruby/purple color as well as lots of blueberry, scorched earth and blackberry notes intermixed with hints of roast beef and bouquet garni, this wine has structure, but the fruit dominates at present. By the standards of most top vintages of Beaucastel, this cuvee will be drinkable earlier than the normal ten years. I suspect it will put on more weight, so give it 5-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following three decades.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeBeaucastel.aspWA 90 (10/2011): In total contrast, the 2009 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet red represents the essence of Provence in its notes of ground pepper, new saddle leather, lavender, kirsch, garrigue, and abundant red and black fruits. This complex, evolved, luscious red begs for a bloody grilled steak. With a creamy, medium to full-bodied texture, this gorgeous, complex, evolved wine should be enjoyed over the next 7-8 years. WS 90 (2/2012): This dark and alluring red delivers nicely layered cherry preserves and blackberry cobbler notes, backed by black licorice snap and smoldering tobacco flavors on the lengthy finish. More polished and forward than usual, but this has the stuffing to cellar mid-term. Mourvèdre, Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah. Drink now through 2014. 1,325 cases imported.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/CoudouletdeBeaucastel.aspWS 94 (8/2003): Blockbuster. Both modern and traditional, a full-bodied red that bridges the past and the present. This is packed with Turkish delight dessert, ripe and sweet fruit, lush tannins, with lots of spicy, smoky character and a round, caressing feel in the midpalate. Best from 2006 through 2012. 5,830 cases made.WA 91 (2/2004): One of the Coulon’s finest examples of their regular cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape, the 2001 exhibits a deep ruby/purple color, medium to full body, and loads of creme de cassis fruit intermixed with hints of white chocolate, smoke, licorice, and wood. Pure and textured as well as elegant, this beauty will be at its peak between 2005-2014. IWC 86-88 (2/2003): Saturated dark red. Tangy cherry and smoky oak on the nose, with a suggestion of whiskey barrel. Sweeter and fuller than the 2000, with more flavor intensity and supporting structure. Still a tad medicinal and youthfully firm-edged but has better buffering density of texture.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeBeaurenard.aspJLL ***(*) (12/2009): bright light yellow with green tints. The bouquet is fresh on the outside, but contains sound white fruit within, delivers more weight there – apricot and varnish feature in this fragrant, graceful nose. There are clean lines along the palate as well as the nose, and the texture is sympa. There is a little burst of tannin at the end, while the length is good enough to indicate it can evolve. Its depth is subtle, this is harmonious. Food best. IWC 87 (1/2010): 30% clairette, 25% bourboulenc, 22% roussanne, 20% grenache blanc and 3% picpoul and picardin) Bright gold. Smoky aromas of poached pear, chestnut honey and dried flowers. Yellow plum and pear flavors are broad and a touch warm, but cling nicely on the back end. Very rich and ready to drink, ideally with a roasted bird. JR 16+ (11/2009): Deep straw. Not much nose but the promise of something rather beguiling eventually and a nice texture. Wait for flavour to emerge from what is already a promising package.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeBeaurenard.aspWA 97 (2/2004): There have been a number of spectacular vintages of Domaine de Beaurenard’s luxury cuvee, Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Boisrenard, but the 2001 may be the finest they have ever produced. An inky/purple color is accompanied by aromas of creme de cassis, melted licorice, graphite, and a touch of barrique. The explosive bouquet is followed by an expansive, full-bodied, powerful wine with great purity, tremendous multilayered flavor intensity, and beautifully integrated wood, acidity, and tannin. It possesses structure, grip, and a finish that lasts well over a minute. Despite its enormous richness and presence (aromatically and on the palate), it requires 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15-18. It is a brilliant success!WS 95 (8/2003): Seductive, ultramodern, dark-purple, blockbuster Châteauneuf. Oozes rich, ripe flavors in a silky, caressing texture that's coated by roasted/toasted oak accents ranging from tar to grilled meat, toasted bread to roasted chestnuts and all sorts of spices. A showpiece, this is one to lay down. But don't expect much Châteauneuf subtlety. Best from 2007 through 2025. 1,000 cases made.IWC 88-91 (2/2003): Good full ruby. Aromas of currant, tobacco and spicy oak. Sweet and suave in the middle palate, but less intensely flavored than the 2000. Tannins seem a bit gritty, even dry, perhaps from the wine's oak element. Finishes with a note of licorice. This may well be passing through an awkward stage of its evolution.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeBeaurenard.aspWA 97 (2/2004): There have been a number of spectacular vintages of Domaine de Beaurenard’s luxury cuvee, Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Boisrenard, but the 2001 may be the finest they have ever produced. An inky/purple color is accompanied by aromas of creme de cassis, melted licorice, graphite, and a touch of barrique. The explosive bouquet is followed by an expansive, full-bodied, powerful wine with great purity, tremendous multilayered flavor intensity, and beautifully integrated wood, acidity, and tannin. It possesses structure, grip, and a finish that lasts well over a minute. Despite its enormous richness and presence (aromatically and on the palate), it requires 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15-18. It is a brilliant success!WS 95 (8/2003): Seductive, ultramodern, dark-purple, blockbuster Châteauneuf. Oozes rich, ripe flavors in a silky, caressing texture that's coated by roasted/toasted oak accents ranging from tar to grilled meat, toasted bread to roasted chestnuts and all sorts of spices. A showpiece, this is one to lay down. But don't expect much Châteauneuf subtlety. Best from 2007 through 2025. 1,000 cases made.IWC 88-91 (2/2003): Good full ruby. Aromas of currant, tobacco and spicy oak. Sweet and suave in the middle palate, but less intensely flavored than the 2000. Tannins seem a bit gritty, even dry, perhaps from the wine's oak element. Finishes with a note of licorice. This may well be passing through an awkward stage of its evolution.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeBeaurenard.aspRR 95 (8/2010): Always fun to re-taste and this was showing even better than it did a year ago. The 2007 Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard sports awesome aromatics of cassis and blackberry fruits, spice, licorice, and integrated oak. Medium to full bodied with a silky, not to be missed texture, gorgeous fruit and a very long finish, this beauty will most likely drink well for 20 years. WS 95 (10/2009): Ripe, with the lush crème de cassis and crushed plum fruit of the vintage, showing excellent focus and drive, with racy acidity and taut, licorice-tinged structure. Turns flashy and exotic on the finish, with mulled blueberry, incense and fruitcake notes that are laid over impressive, graphite-filled grip. Best from 2010 through 2030. 1,665 cases made.IWC 93 (2/2010): Dark red. Exotic aromas of black raspberry compote, cherry-vanilla, spicecake and potpourri. Showing a lot of sexy oak but the deep, sweet red and dark berry flavors appear to be up to the lumber. Creamy in texture, with strong finishing spiciness and an echo of luscious dark berries. An extremely sexy wine that drinks very well now.WA 92+ (10/2009): The luxury cuvee, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Boisrenard, has a very saturated purple color, a big, sweet nose of toast, chocolate, black currants, and black cherries, with hints of licorice and lavender. Lush as well as intriguingly spicy, this multi-layered, beautifully textured and voluptuous Chateauneuf du Pape seems surprisingly accessible for this cuvee, which normally need 2-5 years of bottle age to round into drinkable shape. However, there is plenty of richness, and the wine should evolve for 15 or more years.JLL **** (3/2009): Full red robe with purple in it. The bouquet is smoked and oaky - there is snap from that, also pepper, licorice and a couch of herbs and baked stones. The palate sets off with a fringe of oak that frames a squeezy red fruit with licorice notions within. The length is sound, even if that is propped up by the oak for now. From 2014 - this wine always needs a good, long time to integrate and gain more local feel. Has a good heart.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeBeaurenard.aspJLL ***[*] (12/2009): Dense robe; really good, thorough bouquet -very good and ripe, mulberry red jam here, along with blueberry, blackberry. The palate has a mineral, squid style tang to it, with a saline aftertaste, which is normal for this wine. It flirts with over ripeness, but is rigid, straight at this young stage. A wine of dimension, an imposing wine that has a fresh finale nevertheless. Eating a chicken dish, it is enhanced by the ground black pepper on it.WS 91 (10/2009): This is flashy, with dark raspberry and boysenberry fruit liberally laced with incense, fruitcake and melted licorice notes. A graphite edge on the finish keeps it all honest. Drink now through 2010. 1,000 cases made.WA 90 (10/2008): A sleeper of the vintage (and usually one of the finest wines from this appellation) is the 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Argiles Bleus. This old vine Grenache from the appellation’s famous blue clay soils exhibits an inky/plum/purple color as well as a highly extracted nose of black fruits, earth, vitamins, and chocolate. Deep, full-bodied, powerful, and rich, this wine will benefit from 1-2 years of bottle age, and should keep for a minimum of 7-8 years. At the time of writing, Domaine de Beaurenard was in the process of changing importers, having lost nearly 250,000 euros when they were not paid for the sale of their 2005s.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeBeaurenard.aspWS 89 (5/2007): Soft and forward, with iron, blackberry, fig, chestnut and sweet earth notes that run through the round, supple finish. Mature and balanced. Drink now through 2009. 250 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/BettsScholl.aspWA 93+ (10/2009): A relatively new offering, the Chateauneuf du Pape Les Baud (I have incorrectly spelled it "Baudes" on occasion) has only been produced in 2003 and 2007. The 2007, a 115-case blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Mourvedre, and 15% Syrah, is the most concentrated of the three 2007s as well as backward, tannic, and massive. There are copious notes of new saddle leather, truffles, graphite, and earth, but this wine requires 4-5 years of cellaring. It appears that the Versino family is trying to make an exceptionally long-lived Chateauneuf, but purchasers should not touch a bottle for at least five years. It should age for two decades or more.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/BoisdeBoursan.aspWA 91-94 (10/2000): This is an explosive example of Gigondas, with smashing levels of creme de cassis and blackberry characteristics, as well as a flamboyant personality. The 1999 Gigondas Preference is reminiscent of dry vintage port being super-concentrated and intense, with multiple dimensions. I have never before tasted a wine such as this from Domaine des Bosquets, so I hope this is what turns up in the bottle. It has 15-18 years of aging potential.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdesBosquets.aspWA 94 (10/2011): The opaque ruby/purple-colored 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz is a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah from one of the appellation’s more obscure lieu-dits. This stunning 2009 offers copious floral notes intermixed with crushed rock, wet stone, kirsch and black currant characteristics.IWC 93 (2/2012): Vivid ruby-red. Heady, complex bouquet evokes red and dark berry compote, lavender, sandalwood and minerals, with a lashing of Asian spices. Sappy and alluringly sweet on the palate, displaying intense raspberry and mulberry flavors and slow-building florality. Shows impressive power on the finish, where the lavender and spice notes carry through.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeClosdeCaillou.aspWA 99 (2/2003): Possibly the wine of the vintage is the 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Le Clos du Cailloux. I tasted this wine four times from bottle, and it has blown away some tough competition. A wealth of fruit, power, and balance, amazing purity, and a sumptuous, 65-second finish are the stuff of legends. As usual, it is a blend of 45% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, and the rest Syrah as well as miscellaneous varietals. The Mourvedre must be picked incredibly ripe as there is never any of that grape's astringency or toughness. However, being an anti-oxidant varietal, I am sure this is a sign of how much aging potential these wines possess. This is an enormous, well-delineated, superb wine. Anticipated maturity: now-2020+.IWC 96 (2/2003): Full bright ruby, one of the darkest examples of the vintage. Multidimensional nose blossomed with aeration to show black raspberry, cassis, minerals, violet face powder, roasted herbs and bitter chocolate. Wonderfully silky, expanding dark fruit flavors lifted by a compelling floral element. This is explosively aromatic in the mouth. A monumental wine that combines great density with uncanny inner-mouth perfume. Extremely fresh and firm on the back. I suspect this has a rather low pH for a Chateauneuf this rich. This blew away the Quartz when I tasted the two wines side by side. Interestingly, this includes about 30% mourvedre, but it's less tight than the Quartz today. I wouldn't say this is archetypical Chateauneuf du Pape, but it's an extraordinary wine, and will make a fitting testament to Vacheron, who reportedly bottled it himself in March, the day before his death.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeClosduCaillou.aspWA 100 (2/2004): As frighteningly spectacular as the 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Le Clos du Caillou was (I’ve drunk a half dozen or more bottles since my initial report), the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Le Clos du Caillou is one of the most monumental wines of this appellation I have ever tasted. A legendary effort that pays homage to the last vintage the late Jean-Denis Vacheron produced, it boasts an inky/purple color in addition to a terrific perfume of creme de cassis, kirsch, acacia flowers, melted licorice, and graphite. It possesses awesome purity as well as layers of concentration, yet a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, and alcohol. Spectacularly long (the finish lasts over 60 seconds), it cuts a broad swath across the palate, yet is remarkably light on its feet. This amazing effort, a blend of 45% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, and 15% Syrah, is one of the strongest candidates for wine of the vintage in 2001. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2022.IWC 96 (2/2004): Saturated, bright ruby-red. Knockout nose of black raspberry, meat, minerals, spices, chicory and espresso. Like liquid silk in the mouth; an incredibly concentrated, nearly confectionery wine, with compelling flavors of blackberry, violet and game. As creamy as a molten Valrhona chocolate cake. The oak component serves to frame and intensify the flavors, enabling this wonderfully thick wine to retain a sappy character. Finishes with intriguing garrigue notes and a repeating espresso element.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeClosduCaillou.aspRR 98 (8/2009): Only made in the best years, the 2007 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Caillou Reserve is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre and possesses deep, very dark aromas of cassis, blackberry, graphite, lead pencil, earth and minerals. These aromas and flavors carry over into the palate and the wine is massively endowed, full bodied, packed with gorgeously rich fruit and perfectly balanced. The quality and purity to the fruit is really something and while I don’t have any experience older example of this wine, everything seems in place and this should age beautifully for 20+ years. WA 97 (10/2009): The 2007 Le Clos du Caillou Reserve is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah, with the Grenache aged in concrete tanks and the other components aged in both demi-muids and small barrels. This wine will probably not be as long-lived as the utterly perfect 2001, but it is a wine of considerable substance, richness, and appeal. Dense purple to the rim, this is an ethereal beauty of purity and substantial power, allied together in a wine offering up notes of licorice, incense, acacia flowers, black raspberry and black currant notes. It is full-bodied, deep, and for this particular cuvee, surprisingly accessible due to the sweetness of the tannins and the high levels of glycerin and rich fruit. This wine is irresistible already, although it will certainly develop more nuances aromatically over the next 4-5 years and evolve for at least two decades. This is sensational stuff and a great effort. IWC 95 (2/2010): (a 70/30 blend of grenache and mourvedre) Dark purple. Hypnotic bouquet of red and dark berry compote, flowers and spices, with notes of smoky garrigue and cola gaining power with air. Manages to be both dense and energetic, offering sweet raspberry and boysenberry flavors underscored by candied flowers and herbs. The finish refuses to let up, repeating the sweet berry and floral notes with great authority. JLL ****(*) (11/2008): Dark red with black tints in the robe; has a broad, wholesome bouquet - beef stock and deep blackberry or black cherry, with a little spice. The palate delivers blackberry fruit with an earthy inlay, delivered in the wrapping of a smooth texture. It is a supple, oily wine with a sweet thread through it. There are polished late tannins and oak – like many wines this year. The length is sound, This is going to be tasty and gracious - it is very sleek and modern, not local. From 2011.WS 91 (2/2010): Delivers underlying grip right from the start, helping to carry a mix of crushed black cherry, currant and plum fruit, while hints of tar, incense and hot stone weave in and out. Shows impressive length and depth for the appellation. Drink now through 2011. 502 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeClosduCaillou.aspRR 98 (8/2009): Only made in the best years, the 2007 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Caillou Reserve is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre and possesses deep, very dark aromas of cassis, blackberry, graphite, lead pencil, earth and minerals. These aromas and flavors carry over into the palate and the wine is massively endowed, full bodied, packed with gorgeously rich fruit and perfectly balanced. The quality and purity to the fruit is really something and while I don’t have any experience older example of this wine, everything seems in place and this should age beautifully for 20+ years. WA 97 (10/2009): The 2007 Le Clos du Caillou Reserve is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah, with the Grenache aged in concrete tanks and the other components aged in both demi-muids and small barrels. This wine will probably not be as long-lived as the utterly perfect 2001, but it is a wine of considerable substance, richness, and appeal. Dense purple to the rim, this is an ethereal beauty of purity and substantial power, allied together in a wine offering up notes of licorice, incense, acacia flowers, black raspberry and black currant notes. It is full-bodied, deep, and for this particular cuvee, surprisingly accessible due to the sweetness of the tannins and the high levels of glycerin and rich fruit. This wine is irresistible already, although it will certainly develop more nuances aromatically over the next 4-5 years and evolve for at least two decades. This is sensational stuff and a great effort. IWC 95 (2/2010): (a 70/30 blend of grenache and mourvedre) Dark purple. Hypnotic bouquet of red and dark berry compote, flowers and spices, with notes of smoky garrigue and cola gaining power with air. Manages to be both dense and energetic, offering sweet raspberry and boysenberry flavors underscored by candied flowers and herbs. The finish refuses to let up, repeating the sweet berry and floral notes with great authority. JLL ****(*) (11/2008): Dark red with black tints in the robe; has a broad, wholesome bouquet - beef stock and deep blackberry or black cherry, with a little spice. The palate delivers blackberry fruit with an earthy inlay, delivered in the wrapping of a smooth texture. It is a supple, oily wine with a sweet thread through it. There are polished late tannins and oak – like many wines this year. The length is sound, This is going to be tasty and gracious - it is very sleek and modern, not local. From 2011.WS 91 (2/2010): Delivers underlying grip right from the start, helping to carry a mix of crushed black cherry, currant and plum fruit, while hints of tar, incense and hot stone weave in and out. Shows impressive length and depth for the appellation. Drink now through 2011. 502 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeClosduCaillou.aspRR 98 (8/2009): Only made in the best years, the 2007 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Domaine du Caillou Reserve is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre and possesses deep, very dark aromas of cassis, blackberry, graphite, lead pencil, earth and minerals. These aromas and flavors carry over into the palate and the wine is massively endowed, full bodied, packed with gorgeously rich fruit and perfectly balanced. The quality and purity to the fruit is really something and while I don’t have any experience older example of this wine, everything seems in place and this should age beautifully for 20+ years. WA 97 (10/2009): The 2007 Le Clos du Caillou Reserve is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah, with the Grenache aged in concrete tanks and the other components aged in both demi-muids and small barrels. This wine will probably not be as long-lived as the utterly perfect 2001, but it is a wine of considerable substance, richness, and appeal. Dense purple to the rim, this is an ethereal beauty of purity and substantial power, allied together in a wine offering up notes of licorice, incense, acacia flowers, black raspberry and black currant notes. It is full-bodied, deep, and for this particular cuvee, surprisingly accessible due to the sweetness of the tannins and the high levels of glycerin and rich fruit. This wine is irresistible already, although it will certainly develop more nuances aromatically over the next 4-5 years and evolve for at least two decades. This is sensational stuff and a great effort. IWC 95 (2/2010): (a 70/30 blend of grenache and mourvedre) Dark purple. Hypnotic bouquet of red and dark berry compote, flowers and spices, with notes of smoky garrigue and cola gaining power with air. Manages to be both dense and energetic, offering sweet raspberry and boysenberry flavors underscored by candied flowers and herbs. The finish refuses to let up, repeating the sweet berry and floral notes with great authority. JLL ****(*) (11/2008): Dark red with black tints in the robe; has a broad, wholesome bouquet - beef stock and deep blackberry or black cherry, with a little spice. The palate delivers blackberry fruit with an earthy inlay, delivered in the wrapping of a smooth texture. It is a supple, oily wine with a sweet thread through it. There are polished late tannins and oak – like many wines this year. The length is sound, This is going to be tasty and gracious - it is very sleek and modern, not local. From 2011.WS 91 (2/2010): Delivers underlying grip right from the start, helping to carry a mix of crushed black cherry, currant and plum fruit, while hints of tar, incense and hot stone weave in and out. Shows impressive length and depth for the appellation. Drink now through 2011. 502 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeClosduCaillou.aspRR 92 (8/2009): A blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah from the oldest vines in the vineyard, the 2007 Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône Les Quartz shows a stony, mineral driven character with roasted meat and spice notes adding complexity. The palate is round, soft and textured with sold underlying structure and a long finish. WA 91 (10/2008): The 2007 Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz reveals a more saturated dense ruby/purple color along with an amazing bouquet of spring flowers, black raspberries, kirsch, and crushed rocks. Deep, full-bodied, opulent, and powerful, this serious effort is accessible (because of its velvety tannins), and should age well for 6-7 years or more. JR 17 (7/2009): Animal nose with a top note of flowers. Lots of rich sweetness and juice with only a hint of molasses. Lovely hedonistic stuff. But probably not for the very long term. WS 90 (2/2010): Quite ripe, offering raspberry and boysenberry fruit flavors, but they stay fresh and racy, with graphite, fruitcake and incense notes helping to extend the finish. Drink now. 1,350 cases made. "http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeClosduCaillou.aspWA 89 (1/1997): The 1988 offers a complex bouquet of peppers, spices, black fruits, and herbs, followed by a rich, medium- to full-bodied, velvety-textured wine that is complex yet more forward and less concentrated than the 1989. Anticipated maturity: now-2004. Last tasted 4/96. WS 88 (10/1991): Shows a lot of character, but is more mature than some at this point, with delicious aromas and flavors. Offers basil, light tomato and berry aromas, full-bodied black pepper, spice, meat and berry flavors and silky tannins. Not one to lay away for long.--Châteauneuf-du-Pape retrospective. Drink now.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LesCailloux(LABrunel).aspWA 88-90 (10/1997): Andre Brunel fashioned a wonderfully sexy, delicious 1996. There will be no Cuvee Centenaire in 1996, but the regular cuvee exhibits a deep ruby color, as well as an impressive, wild cherry/raspberry, sweet, spicy, fragrant-scented nose. Gorgeously fruity, forward, and succulent, this is a luscious, hedonistic, sexy Chateauneuf du Pape with plenty of alcohol in the lusty finish. Drink it over the next 6-7 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LesCailloux(LABrunel).aspWA 91 (2/2004): The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape, an unfined/unfiltered blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and 15% Syrah, is more structured than the open-knit 2000 or muscular 1998. The 2001 is a dense, archetypical effort offering a classic bouquet of Provencal herbs intermixed with loamy soil, Asian spice, kirsch liqueur, cedar, and tobacco aromas. Sweet, peppery black cherry jam-like flavors emerge in the mouth. Dense, full-bodied, rich, and spicy, its tannic structure suggests 1-2 years of cellaring is warranted. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2014.WS 88 (11/2003): Lovely, elegant and refined, showing mocha, plum, smoke and grilled meat aromas. Clean finish. Round, it will get more so with short-term cellaring. Best from 2005 through 2010.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LesCailloux(LABrunel).aspWA 94 (1/2003): The 1989 remains a young, tight, difficult to penetrate wine that is loaded with potential. Licorice, black fruits, Asian spices, and vanilla emerge from the dense, saturated purple color. Closed, firm, and powerful, with abundant tannin as well as extraction, it is a candidate for another two decades of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LesCailloux(LABrunel).aspWA 94 (1/2003): The 1989 remains a young, tight, difficult to penetrate wine that is loaded with potential. Licorice, black fruits, Asian spices, and vanilla emerge from the dense, saturated purple color. Closed, firm, and powerful, with abundant tannin as well as extraction, it is a candidate for another two decades of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2025.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LesCailloux(LABrunel).aspRR 96 (11/2009): A blend of 80% Grenache (from the Farguerol vineyard), 8% Syrah and 12% Mourvedre, the 2000 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire offers up perfumed notes of spice, leather and meat that are mixed with subtle garrigue, underbrush and kirsch fruit. In the mouth, the wine is full bodied with a fat, unctuous texture, low acidity, sweet fruit and a blockbuster finish. While still young, this is drinking extremely well. WA 96 (2/2003): The heady 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is more evolved than either the 2001 or 1998. Extremely full-bodied, with low acidity, and a knock-out bouquet of blackberry and cherry jam intermixed with licorice, pepper, and dried Provencal herbs, this sexy, voluptuous, enormously concentrated 2000 possesses a huge, silky, seamless finish. Drink this irresistible effort now and over the next 12-15 years. The Cuvee Centenaire is one of the world's most compelling red wines. It is produced primarily from a plot of ancient (planted in 1889) Grenache vines (80% of the blend), and the rest younger vine Syrah (8%) and Mourvedre (12%), all aged 18 months in oak casks. It is tempting to say this is a modern-styled Chateauneuf du Pape. The use of barriques puts it in that category, but there is no noticeable new oak. This wine sucks up the oak like a sponge, but the wood provides structure and delineation. The Centenaire has been produced in 1989, 1990, 1995, 1998, 2000, and 2001. My personal favorites are the 1998 and 1990, but the 1989 still has not hit full maturity. Moreover, the 2000 and 2001 are both prodigious efforts. Life's too short not to experience at least one bottle of Andre Brunel's Cuvee Centenaire! IWC 94+ (2/2003): Full deep red. Tangy nose combines red fruits, roast coffee, pepper and spices. Very rich, dense and full, with considerable power (the wine features 15% alcohol) and a strong element of spice cake. Less obviously creamy than the 2001, but equally powerful and extremely long on the aftertaste. The tannins show a chewy quality and a dustiness that no doubt reflect the wine's 12% mourvedre component.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LesCailloux(LABrunel).aspWA 96 (2/2006): The limited production but exquisite 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is a riper, more concentrated version of the 2000 Centenaire. There are about 500 cases of this Grenache-dominated wine produced from a vineyard planted in 1889 with some Syrah and Mourvedre (about 20%) added to the blend. The latter components are aged in small barrels. The wine has a dense ruby/purple-tinged color to the rim, a strikingly pure nose of kirsch liqueur, creme de cassis, and hints of vanilla and espresso. Hitting the palate with full-throttle opulence, superb concentration, fabulous purity, and striking multiple levels of raspberries and black cherry jam, this is a beautifully full-bodied, brilliantly concentrated and structured wine that reveals sweet but abundant tannin and a finish that goes on for close to a minute. I still think the two greatest Centenaires made to date have been the 1990 and 1998, but this one is close in quality. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020+. IWC 95 (2/2006): Dark red color. Intensely spicy and rich on the nose, with vibrant aromas of kirsch, raspberry, wild strawberry, anise and fresh rose. Amazingly concentrated, juicy and pure in the mouth, with compelling, energetic flavors of dark raspberry, cherry preserves, poached rhubarb and rose pastille. The minerally finish, which features completely buffered tannins, builds inexorably and goes on and on. This comes from vines planted in 1889, according to Brunel. JLL ***[*] (10/2007): Evolving, thorough red robe with some ruby at the top. Menthol and coffee mix on the nose, also raspberry with some verve and a latent oiliness. The texture is rich and oily at the start of the palate, where there is plenty of depth. Late on it gains ground coffee, prune and syrup notes. Flavours are spiced plum, “dark” in nature. Some late fire comes through, and ends on a more mineral texture. Its flow is uneven at this stage. I would suggest it could regroup and emerge better around 2009; there is the suspicion of transition today.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LesCailloux(LABrunel).aspWA 92 (8/2010): One of my favorite value choices over recent vintages, the 2009 Plan de Dieu Cotes du Rhone-Villages looks to be sensational, perhaps even eclipsing the 2007 in terms of intensity, richness, and power. A blend of equal parts Grenache and Mourvedre from very old, organically farmed vines, the wine is aged in neutral wood prior to being bottled unfiltered. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by aromas of boysenberries, pepper, incense, and fruit. Full-bodied with a lush, opulent texture, superb purity and depth, and abundant power and richness, it is a big (15+% alcohol) as well as rich, pure, elegant red that should be consumed over the next 2-4 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Calendal.aspIWC 88 (2/2012): (grenache and 10% syrah): Bright ruby. High-pitched aromas and flavors of red berries and cherry, with a floral overtone. Juicy and smooth in texture, with good heft and slow-building spiciness. Shows a hint of warmth on the finish, where the cherry note lingers with good persistence. JLL *** (10/2010): Bit pale red; sweet notes, pretty black fruit aromas, cooked plums, bacon smoke - sympa start. The palate is nicely rounded, offers a ball of black fruit, with some fine tannin attached. Has sound, quiet length. Persists OK, the aftertaste is tarry. Decent balance. Agreeable drinking, an early wine. From late 2011.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChSaintJean.aspWA 96 (1/2003): Medium red. Smoky red fruits, graphite and pepper on the complex nose. Superripe, plump and sweet, with lovely balancing acidity for a wine this high in alcohol. This has real depth and chocolatey sweetness. Very long, ripely tannic finish builds slowly and lingers long. Distinctive, outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape. IWC 93 (1/2001): Medium red. Smoky red fruits, graphite and pepper on the complex nose. Superripe, plump and sweet, with lovely balancing acidity for a wine this high in alcohol. This has real depth and chocolatey sweetness. Very long, ripely tannic finish builds slowly and lingers long. Distinctive, outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 96 (10/2007): The blockbuster 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac shows classic garrigue notes intermixed with ground pepper, lavender, and sweet black currant and black cherry notes with hints of raspberry and olive. The wine is full-bodied has a boatload of tannin, fabulous concentration, and a finish of close to 50 seconds. This is a brilliant Barbe Rac that should be at its best between 2010 and 2025.WS 95 (6/2008): A very supple, stylish version, with lots of cherry and plum fruit caressed by notes of sandalwood, vanilla and mesquite. The long, fine-grained finish just won't quit, offering mouthwatering minerality and an alluring Burgundy-style perfume. Very Rayas-like in profile. Best from 2009 through 2025. 777 cases made.IWC 89-92 (2/2007): Medium red. Deeply concentrated, powerful, game-accented red and dark berry aromas. Inky, chewy cherry and cassis flavors are framed by solid, chunky tannins, with a subtle note of smoky herbs. A bit tough to read today but there's clearly outstanding material here.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWS 93 (6/2009): Very pure and driven, with a great beam of macerated red currant fruit laced with licorice, raspberry, bittersweet cocoa and incense notes that extend through the long, mouthwatering finish. Very rich, but offers admirable precision. Drink now through 2022. 861 cases made.WA 92 (10/2008): The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois reveals an intense Provencal herb character as well as peppery, roasted meat, garrigue, and kirsch liqueur notes, full body, good richness, and a long finish. Chapoutier’s single vineyard Chateauneuf du Papes represent two different areas of the appellation, with the Croix de Bois coming from the eastern sector in the Bedarrides region. Chapoutier has adjusted the manner in which he ages these cuvees, as they are now completely aged in tank. Yields for this offering (made from 100+-year-old Grenache vines in the Galets Roulets area) are typically less than .5 tons of fruit per acre. Both the Barbe Rac and Croix de Bois are 100% Grenache. IWC 92 (2/2009): Bright red. Highly perfumed nose offers raspberry, lavender, pungent herbs and minerals. Enticingly fresh and sweet, with deep but lively red berry preserve flavors and tangy minerality. With its excellent finishing lift and persistence, this reminded me a lot of pinot noir.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 91 (10/1997): The 1995 Chateauneuf du Pape La Bernadine is a delicious, open-knit, forward wine. The deep ruby color with purple hues is accompanied by a sweet nose of black raspberries, blackberries, cassis, prune, and cherries. The wine is full-bodied, with sweet, lush fruit, moderate tannin, and fine density and power. It can be drunk now, but should be at its peak of maturity between 2002-2012.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 100 (1/1996): In the same class as the great single-vineyard Cote Roties made by Marcel Guigal (i.e., La Mouline, La Turque, and La Landonne), La Mordoree is most akin to La Mouline in its seductive, otherworldly fragrance and layers of sweet, expansive, velvety-textured fruit. There were 400 cases made of this saturated purple-colored wine. Its huge bouquet and spectacularly rich, layered personality offer an astonishing example of what low yields from a naturally farmed vineyard and an unfined, unfiltered winemaking philosophy can achieve. Anticipated maturity: now-2020.IWC 90 (12/1998): Deep, young red-ruby color. Sexy aromas of smoky oak and coffee grounds. Thick, sweet and chewy, with strong extract and a deep raspberry flavor. The rather lush tannins show a slight dryness. Finishing notes of woodsmoke and pepper. Comes across as ripe and oaky, but somewhat heavy.WS 86 (5/1994): Ripe and plump, with attractive flavors of plums, smoke and grilled meat. Full-bodied with silky tannins. Drink now.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWS 93 (12/2011): This still has a gutsy core of blackberry, anise and macerated currant fruit, with secondary notes of tobacco, sage, mulled spice and tar holding sway on the finish. Very solid, with plenty of concentration still, despite being well along on its evolution.—Non-blind 2001 Côte-Rôtie retrospective (April 2011). 700 cases made.JLL **** (12/2004): Discreet, fine nose, clear fruit, good grain; stylish but reserved substance. Matter in it seems well-founded. Live raspberry finish. Quite pure.IWC 91 (2/2004): Dark red. Very ripe but somewhat stunted aromas of blackcurrant, plum, nuts and woodsmoke. Concentrated, ripe and full; very rich but rather uncompromisingly dry. The slightly roasted red fruit and nut flavors show more breadth than personality now, but this young Cote-Rotie is unusually fat and persistent, finishing with dusty, ripe tannins. WA 89-92 (6/2003): The deep ruby/purple-colored 2001 Cote Rotie La Mordoree is more dense, tannic, and earthy than its 2000 counterpart. Possessing additional structure as well as an undeniably backward character, this is a medium to full-bodied offering with the classic grilled meat, tapenade, herbal concoction found in many Cote Roties. With a sweet attack but a narrow finish, it should turn out to be outstanding, but it will always be less charming and accessible than the 2000. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2014.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 90 (2/2006): Chapoutier is working in the Cotes du Roussillon with a project known as Bila Haut.The single vineyard offering, the 2003 Bila Haut Occultum Lapiderm is a seriously-endowed, dark ruby/purple-colored wine exhibiting big notes of melted licorice, smoked herbs, creme de cassis, black cherries, and smoke. Full-bodied, powerful, rich, and impressively pure as well as long, it should drink well for a decade.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 100 (6/2003): These wines usually flirt with perfection, which is the case with the 2000 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. It boasts an amazing nose of licorice, minerals, acacia flowers, honeysuckle, and a hint of butter. Unctuously-textured and full-bodied, with great intensity and purity, yet remarkably light on its feet, it can be drunk over the next 3-4 years, then forgotten for a decade, after which it will last for 40-50 years.RR 95 (11/2006): Closed and tight at first but opened slightly with air. Very rich with stone fruit notes, earth, minerals, smoke and buttery notes. Just an amazing, full bodied palate. Soft, full and seamless with a killer long finish. JLL **** (12/2005): Ripe, fat bouquet, opulent, broad and open; heat, cooked fruit, white fruit jam, caramel and crème brulée on the palate. Dried fruit skins also in the taste, and some end spice. It finishes more drily than attacks.IWC 90+ (2/2002): (bottled in September) Vibrant fruit aromas complicated by a note of butterscotch. Complex flavors of candied fruits and lemon; quite discreet today but with a distinct aspect of surmaturite Manages to wear its 14.5% alcohol fairly gracefully. Still, this rather backward wine is a bit warm on the back end.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 100 (6/2003): These wines usually flirt with perfection, which is the case with the 2000 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree. It boasts an amazing nose of licorice, minerals, acacia flowers, honeysuckle, and a hint of butter. Unctuously-textured and full-bodied, with great intensity and purity, yet remarkably light on its feet, it can be drunk over the next 3-4 years, then forgotten for a decade, after which it will last for 40-50 years.RR 95 (11/2006): Closed and tight at first but opened slightly with air. Very rich with stone fruit notes, earth, minerals, smoke and buttery notes. Just an amazing, full bodied palate. Soft, full and seamless with a killer long finish. JLL **** (12/2005): Ripe, fat bouquet, opulent, broad and open; heat, cooked fruit, white fruit jam, caramel and crème brulée on the palate. Dried fruit skins also in the taste, and some end spice. It finishes more drily than attacks.IWC 90+ (2/2002): (bottled in September) Vibrant fruit aromas complicated by a note of butterscotch. Complex flavors of candied fruits and lemon; quite discreet today but with a distinct aspect of surmaturite Manages to wear its 14.5% alcohol fairly gracefully. Still, this rather backward wine is a bit warm on the back end.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 98 (2/2008): Chapoutier’s line-up of single vineyard white Ermitages, all from mid- to upper slopes of that small appellation, are prodigious wines. I have been following them since he first introduced L’Oree in 1991, and they are sensational to drink in their first 4-5 years, then seem to go into a rather bizarre oxidized stage that can last for 7-8 years, and then they re-emerge as something even more complex. The one thing I never understand is how the color sometimes actually lightens as they age, which makes no sense to me whatsoever, although I suspect there must be some scientific explanation. The 2005 Ermitage Cuvee de l’Oree is a spectacular wine, with notes of nectarine, quince, honeyed hazelnuts, honeysuckle, and an almost exotic note buttressed by excellent acidity and no notice of any oak. The wine has prodigious richness and a full-bodied intensity that needs to be tasted to be believed. This is stunning stuff that should drink well for 50 or more years, but you can drink it over the next 4-5 years or forget it for 12-15. My aging curve on all of these single-vineyard wines is pretty much the same, and these are very strong vintages with higher acidity than 2005. WS 96 (6/2008): Gushes with creamy-textured, superripe layers of fig, green almond, pear and Cavaillon melon, all carried by well-embedded acidity. The long, driving finish pumps out additional hints of mango and green plum. Best from 2010 through 2025. 770 cases made.JLL ****[*] (11/2007): Pale gold in the robe; the bouquet is wide but a bit unyielding – carries butterscotch and vanilla, with white raisins and pear. There is a rich tone to the palate, that is overtly full and dense, with a locked-up force and some taste of white raisins. A beefy wine, one that is directed towards a firm, almost tannic finish. There is a lot of matter here. Wait until 2012-13 – this is not for young drinking, so tight is its weave. Big wine, has gained dimension in the last 6 months. IWC 94+ (2/2008): Vivid gold. Smoky pear and nectarine aromas are sharpened by lemon zest and deepened by toasty lees. Vibrant orchard and tropical fruit flavors pick up a citrus edge with air, but also gain a deep, honeyed quality. Becomes more mineral-driven and firm on the finish, which echoes the honey and lemon qualities. Talk about complex!http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 96 (2/2001): The 1998 Ermitage Le Meal rouge represents the essence of Hermitage - a wine of elegance, power, symmetry, and extraordinary purity. Aromas and flavors of black and red fruits as well as liquid granite emerge in this superb, multi-layered wine of fabulous intensity and length. The finish lasts for nearly a minute. The tannin is high, and a decade of cellaring is warranted. This 1998 will last for half a century.WS 93 (7/2000): Beautiful. Supple tannins, full-bodied and balanced, with rich and ripe fruit. If seduction is the standard, this is hedonistic, with subtle smoke and toast character along with red berry and blackberry concentration. Drink now through 2010.IWC 92+ (2/2001): Deep ruby-red. Knockout aromas of cassis, leather, tobacco, bacon fat and barbecued meat. Dense, quite dry and suave, with a compelling note of woodsmoke. Still quite tightly wound. Really builds toward the back end, which features big, broad tannins and subtle, complex flavors. This has the tangy brightness of the best '98s from the Northern Rhone.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 95 (6/2003): The 2000 Ermitage Le Meal is better out of bottle than it was from cask. An opaque purple color is followed by a sumptuous nose of blackberry liqueur intermixed with ink, melted asphalt, camphor, and new saddle leather. Big, rich, broad, and expansive with a gorgeous texture as well as a 60-second finish, it is a full-bodied, opulent, surprisingly approachable offering. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025. JLL **** (12/2004): Full, purple robe. Beeswax, prune, roasted aroma. Violets on the attack, but this is a very full wine. Holds oak-aided tannins. Has a well-controlled density, and a licorice end. Drink from 2008 to shake off the oak. Length OK. IWC 92 (2/2003): Saturated ruby-red. Very expressive, inviting aromas of plum, coffee, smoked meat, animal fur and caramel. Dense, seamless and concentrated; very suave Hermitage, with ripe acids contributing to the impression of balance. The substantial but smooth tannins arrive quite late and spread out on the palate, giving the plum and currant fruit flavors a chance to blossom. Much more open than the 2001: this can be enjoyed now or cellared. WS 87 (12/2003): Very funky and earthy, but why not? It's distinctive, odd, different. And there is plenty of generous and ripe fruit along with soft, supple, sweet tannins. A lovely wine (as long as you don't mind a hint of horse-stable aroma). Drink now through 2006. 440 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 98+ (2/2008): The biggest production cuvee, the 2005 Ermitage Le Pavillon (1,067 cases in this vintage) has a dense purple color, the classic acacia flower, graphite-based, smoky creme de cassis nose with a tremendous intensity and a full-bodied power and richness that is awesome. These are monumental wines, and when you think that this wine, much like most of its siblings, is made from yields of 12-18 hectoliters per hectare, the explanation for its concentration and extraordinary expression of terroir is obvious.WS 96 (7/2008): Very focused, with grippy but streamlined tannins carrying dark currant, plum, coffee, mocha and mineral notes through the long, zesty finish filled with wild berry and briar patch. This should flesh out nicely in the cellar, as there's some real serious grip. Best from 2010 through 2025. 1,067 cases made.IWC 93+ (2/2008): Inky ruby. Deep, brooding and initially inscrutable, with uncannily concentrated blackberry and cassis scents. Rich dark fruit preserve flavors seem almost solid, but there's wonderful vivacity too. Picks up supple tannins on the finish, which leaves a tattoo of black and blue fruits on the palate. Extremely primary right now.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspWA 97 (4/2009): There are nearly 1,200 cases of the 2006 Ermitage Le Pavillon. Since Michel Chapoutier released his first full vintage, 1989, of this single vineyard Hermitage, it has been one of the great wines of both France and the world. The 1989 and 1990 remain very young wines (I had them over the holiday break and was amazed by their still youthful personalities.). The inky/purple-hued 2006 exhibits a gorgeous perfume of crushed rocks, white flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, graphite, and a subtle touch of oak. Exceptionally full-bodied, multilayered in concentration, extraordinarily pure, and long, this is a prodigious young Hermitage that should be at its finest between 2018-2050+.WS 96 (6/2009): Tightly wound, with a mix of loganberry, blueberry and blackberry fruit all laced with espresso, loam and black tea hints. The dense, graphite-filled finish has a lot of unwinding to do. Best from 2011 through 2025. 1,177 cases made. IWC 93 (2/2009): Inky purple. Explosively perfumed, seductive aromas of raspberry, mulberry, potpourri and burning incense. Candied floral and sweet dark berry flavors saturate the palate, with fine-grained tannins lending shape. Tightens up on the finish, with the red berry and floral notes echoing. A real mouthful of sweet, energetic fruit: I'd give it some time to move past the primary fruit stage but it's gorgeous right now.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspJLL ****** (12/2008): The palest robe of the Big Four here – it is dark red, with a raspberry rim. The bouquet is sealed up, and the fruit has sweet traces, a fruit gum aroma that is a little earthy, maybe reductive. There are airs of iodine and florality also. There is a pretty strike of red fruit on the attack – this soon gives way to a wave of tannin and enclosure. It is very gracious – a formidable wine of complexity here, one that is very long. The red fruit glances along the sides of the palate with great finesse. The aftertaste is aromatic. WA 98 (4/2009): There are nearly 1,000 cases of the 2006 Ermitage l’Ermite, another candidate for perfection in a few years. It boasts an inky/ruby/purple color as well as a stunning bouquet reminiscent of a grand cru Musigny from Burgundy. Spring flower, crushed rock, black raspberry, and black currant scents dominate the aromatics of this incredibly pure, full-bodied wine. With laser-like precision and enormous extract and concentration, it comes across as remarkably elegant and fresh with crystal clear focus. A beautiful tour de force from the decomposed granitic soils of this site on the top of the Hermitage mountain, this amazing wine requires a decade of cellaring, and should last for 35 years. WS 97 (6/21009): This Northern Rhône red is tightly wound, but also supersleek and racy, with a terrific beam of blackberry and raspberry ganache pushed by graphite, iron and violet notes. Long and extremely precise, with a terrific mouthwatering undertow. Best from 2010 through 2026. 955 cases made. IWC 94 (2/2009): Full ruby. A roomfilling bouquet of fresh red and dark berry scents, along with smoked meat, violet, incense and minerals. Wonderfully fresh in the mouth, with vibrant raspberry and black cherry flavors. Gentle tannins rein in the expansive fruit without standing in its way. The finish is all about fruit, with late-arriving notes of black olive and smoky minerals. Extremely sexy now but balanced to age.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/MChapoutier.aspRR 94+ (8/2009): My favorite wine from this estate, the 2007 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes possesses beautiful, deep blackberry and raspberry fruit aromas that are intermixed with a meaty, seriously mineral and stone driven profile. Subtle garrigue and incense aromas show up with air and the wine has a traditional, deep, concentrated personality. Medium to full bodied, the palate has fantastic texture, solid structure and balance, and a long, clean finish. WA 94 (10/2009): My notes on the dense ruby/purple-colored 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes (95% Grenache and 5% Mourvedre from 80-year-old vines) begin with the words "serious stuff." Deep, rich, and full-bodied with abundant notes of forest floor, truffles, earth, kirsch, raspberries, and black currants, this powerful, layered, multidimensional, long, ageworthy wine should drink well between 2012-2028.IWC 92 (2/2010): (70% grenache and 30% mourvedre) Bright red. Expressive raspberry and cherry-scented bouquet is complicated by notes of baking spices and wilted rose. Finely etched red fruit flavors gain depth with air and take a turn to blacker raspberry, with a zesty note of white pepper emerging on the back. Already very tasty but has the balance to age.WS 92 (10/2009): A round, fresh style, with mouthwatering floral, red licorice, red cherry and plum notes all wrapped up by nice racy acidity. Pure and driven on the finish, with a lingering hint of roasted apple wood. Best from 2010 through 2024. 750 cases made. JLL **[*] (11/2008): Steady, quite dark red; has a mild, gently curved nose that exudes smooth red fruit and herbs - comes on the curve. The palate is similar in its mild fruitiness - there is no real insert of depth or grip. It runs steadily, without brio. Some tannin and bite appear late on, and the finish is pebbly and minted. Has a minty, wiry interior, and needs time to arrange its fresh length. Rather plain - lacks standing. From mid-2010.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaCharbonniere.aspWA 95+ (10/2009): This wine is composed of a selection the Maret family makes from their holdings in one of the great sites in all of Chateauneuf du Pape, the lieux-dit known as La Crau. The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Hautes Brusquieres Cuvee Speciale is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah. The Grenache is aged in large oak foudres and most of the Syrah in smaller barrels. This fabulous, inky/ruby/purple-tinged wine offers up sweet, jammy aromas of black raspberries, licorice, truffles, underbrush, and Provencal herbs. It is the deepest colored of these four wines, and is also profoundly rich and layered, with sweet tannins as well as refreshing vibrancy and acidity. This stunner should hit its peak in 3-4 years, and last for two decades.RR 94 (8/2010): As with the Mourre de Perdrix, the 2007 Domaine de la Charbonnière Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Spéciale Les Hautes Brusquières also showed better than a year ago, possessing stunning assorted dark fruits, pepper, flowers, and minerals on the nose. Medium to full bodied on the palate with superb texture, notable balance and a clean, long finish, this has a good 15+ years of prime drinking. IWC 93 (2/2010): (60% grenache and 40% syrah) Vivid red. Bright, expressive bouquet of raspberry, blackcurrant, lavender and white pepper, plus a smoky Indian spice quality. Deep but impressively energetic red and dark berry flavors pick up notes of chewing tobacco and minerals with air. The finish repeats the red fruit and spice notes and lingers with impressive clarity and persistence. This is really lively for an example with so much syrah in the blend. WS 93 (10/2009): Combines enticing plum, raspberry and blackberry fruit with black tea, tobacco, mineral and sandalwood notes. The long, fine-grained finish lets everything hang together nicely. Should blossom in the cellar. Drink now through 2027. 1,250 cases made. JLL *[*] (11/2008): Red, purple robe; has a primary, leesy aroma - real vat access here, so its eventual bottled state is hard to judge or predict. The red berry fruit is low-key, is leavened by a slice of freshness and latent game is present, too. There is a lithe tone to the red fruit, with a marked tannic thread through it. It holds up OK, and is 2 to 3 years from being finished - there is reassurance from some late richness. Very unfinished, edgy for now, a narrow wine. Dry on the finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaCharbonniere.aspWS 94 (4/2008): Forward and lush for the vintage, with dark currant and fig paste flavors backed by licorice, coffee, garrigue and braised beef notes. The long, smoky finish has a lingering touch of mesquite. The profile is black fruit, but the structure is remarkably elegant for the vintage, with lovely poise. Drink now through 2023. 2,500 cases made.IWC 94 (2/2008): Bright ruby. Vibrant red berry and cherry aromas are complemented by suave mineral and fresh floral nuances. Resembles a great pinot noir in its clarity and sexy raspberry expression, with silky tannins adding grip. Gains weight on the finish, picking up cherry and cassis preserve qualities, with no loss of energy or focus. I love this wine's suave texture.WA 93 (10/2007): The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape is superb, but it has to take a back seat to the 2006. Dark ruby with notes of underbrush, the seaweed wrapper nori, kirsch liqueur, and a bit of pepper and spice box, it is deep and broad, with outstanding concentration, moderately high tannin, and a nicely structured, pure mouthfeel. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2022.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomCharvin.aspIWC 93+ (7/1999): Good full red. Complex, slightly exotic aromas of gibier, tar, spearmint and orange peel. Very concentrated and superripe, with extravagant hints of woodsmoke and iron filings. A wine of great ripeness and substantial power, still a bit dominated by its substantial, dusty, palate-saturating tannins. Fascinating wine, still improving. Here the first wine that struck me as an older style of Hermitage, but then this vintage produced very ripe, very tannic wines. Still, says Jean-Louis: "Today we would make a wine with silkier tannins from a year like '83."http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Jean-LouisChave.aspWS 95 (7/2010); Tight but already alluring, with gorgeous fig cake and warm cocoa aromas slowly yielding to a dark, dense core of plum, blueberry, hoisin sauce, currant reduction and maduro tobacco. Muscular but supervelvety, with a long finish. There’s very impressive density for the vintage. Best from 2011 through 2026.IWC 95 (2/2009): From Peleat: A real fruit bomb, with sexy aromas of red berries, cherry and cassis. Lithe and precise on the palate, with tangy mineral lift and very good cut. From Beaume: Exotic, intensely floral aromas of violet, lavender and magnolia. Sweet red fruits and spices on the palate, with the floral quality repeating. Again from Beaume: Spicy and mineral-driven, with sappy red berry flavors and gentle tannins. Less wild than the previous barrel. From L'Hermite: Musky cherry and dark berry aromas are complicated by minerals and underbrush. Fleshy dark berry and cherry pit flavors cling nicely to the palate. From Meal: A very rich sample, offering powerful cherry and cassis scents and a suavely smoky mineral note. Sappy and broad on the palate, displaying sweet kirsch and smoked meat qualities. From Bessards: Deep, strongly perfumed bouquet evokes cherry, cassis, cured meat and licorice. Firm and chewy, with deep dark berry flavors and slow-building tannins. "This will provide the spine of the final wine," Chave told me. Again from Bessards: Hypnotic aromas of raspberry, candied cherry and incense, with a fresh lashing of minerals. Brisk and focused, with wonderfully pure red fruit flavors and silky texture. Impossibly pure and long on the finish. The final wine will be a riot of red and darker berry fruits, with excellent freshness and clarity.WA 93-95 (4/2009): The red 2007 Hermitage is a candidate for the wine of the vintage. It is a blend of fruit from some of Hermitage’s finest vineyard sites (Les Bessards, Meal, l’Ermite, Peleat, and Les Beaumes). The latter two vineyards tend to offer finesse, elegance, and aromatic complexity without the power and richness found in Meal and Les Bessards. L’Ermite seems to provide an extraordinary liqueur of rocks and floral character. The 2007 production was very tiny because of serious crop-thinning as well as a strict selection process in the cellar. This should turn out to be a mid-90 point red Hermitage with loads of tannin, and a style not dissimilar from Chave’s 1996, but even better. Very structured with superb concentration, noble sweet tannins, and oodles of tar-infused creme de cassis, licorice, fig, and earth notes. It is a large-framed, big-boned effort with a finish that lasts nearly a minute.JLL ***** (12/2008): Compact, elegant wine, with lingering fruit in view here, likely to charm, and be accessible quite early, a Burgundian style appeal, not a wine of hauteur or distance from the drinker. I reckon the blending will enhance its quality, and indicate the merit of that procedure, rather than the grower producing 6 different cuvées. Could be on the go, with harmony apparent, around 2015. To 2026-30, say.JR 18.5 (10/2009): This again was unblended and I tasted only some of the ingredients, most of which were so packed full of fruit that one had to strain to see the tannin. The wine has a wonderfully silky texture and is extremely sappy and lip-smacking. Very promising indeed.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Jean-LouisChave.aspWS 94 (8/2011): This is suave, with a smoldering tobacco note running from start to finish, while truffle, cocoa, braised fig and warm black currant confiture notes fill in the remaining space. Dense, but very silky along the edges, with remarkable harmony for the vintage. Drink now through 2022.JLL ***[*] (6/2011): The red robe is nice and dark, has a hint of black in it. 2008 vintage pepper on the front nose, with a mix of freshness and black jam plus licorice beyond, a small note of game and some floating primrose - the nose is complex, varied. Fine red fruit leads the palate, with flavours of plum and juicy spots through it, and a floral drift that connects to the nose. There is a peppered, crackly front to the fruit, and the wine`s shape is upright, but not stiff. The length is pretty decent, delicate. The aftertaste is gamey, offers red fruits, mulberry there. A very respectable lesser vintage wine. From 2013. I am surprised to see it is nevertheless 14%.IWC 91-93 (2/2011): Tank #1: High-pitched red fruits and flowers on the nose, including a spicy overtone. Lively and precise, with excellent clarity and powerful raspberry and cherry characteristics. Tannins arrive late and fade into the fruit. Tank #2: Bright red berries and cherry aromas, complemented by building spiciness and a hint of cracked pepper. Tank #3: Deep cherry compote and cassis scents are augmented by notes of licorice and smoky herbs. Dense and chewy, with strong tannic grip and lingering smokiness. Tank #4: Bright red fruits and flowers on the nose, amplified by strong spiciness and silky tannins. Very pretty and light on its feet. This will be the largest component of the final wine, which should be approachable relatively young. It will be assembled shortly and bottled in January, 2011. WA 90 (2/2011): The 2008 Hermitage is a down-sized version of Chave’s typical Hermitage, but it is, nevertheless, an elegant, mid-weight, pure effort exhibiting berry fruit intermixed with hints of black currants, herbs, pepper, meat juice and bouquet garni. When asked how they made such a fine wine in such a difficult vintage, the Chaves said that over 33% of the entire harvest was declassified. The 2008 is a wine to consume in its first 10-12 years of life, although I suspect it will last longer.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Jean-LouisChave.aspIWC 97 (2/2008): Pale gold. Fabulously complex nose evokes honeyed pear, apricot, shiso leaf and botanical herbs. Creamy orchard fruit flavors are firmed by juicy minerality, becoming brighter and more bitter with air. This has the texture of a serious red wine, offering dense, chewy pear, yellow plum and peach skin flavors and picking up licorice and toasted nuts on the long, sappy finish, which ends with a whiplash of smoky minerals. Does this ever let up? An incredible young wine.WA 96 (2/2008): The 2005 Hermitage blanc is an amazing effort that defines the classic style of white Hermitage. It offers hints of marzipan, roasted hazelnuts, quince, licorice, honeysuckle, citrus oil, and wet stones. It is a superbly concentrated and powerful wine. It should drink well for 30+ years. JLL ***** (4/2008): Level yellow robe. The nose is restricted, below the parapet. It gives a sense of power within, but is not expressing fruit – is more on the waxen, tight, perhaps hazelnut-almond run. Calissons d`Aix (from Aix-en-Provence, where I used to live) spring to mind, with their marzipan. As it airs, the bouquet shows a lot of breadth, a good augur for the future. The palate has a chunky, solid start – this is a punching wine with its deep-seated content flecked with some mineral. It is very unformed today. This is a vintage that works around power rather than finesse – it is a touch obvious, its length is good, and it needs rich foods.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Jean-LouisChave.aspWA 95 (2/2011): The exuberant 2007 Hermitage Blanc reveals notes of petroleum, crushed rocks, earth, white currants and peaches, an unctuous texture, high glycerin and good acidity. This big, thick white Hermitage will not be as long lived as the 2009, but for drinking over the next two decades, it is impossible to resist. Jean-Louis and Gerard Chave opened a bottle of the 2003 Hermitage Blanc to give me an idea of how this vintage is aging. This monumental offering, which flirts with perfection, has virtually no acidity and is aging beautifully. The Chaves believe it is a repeat of what Gerard’s father made in 1929. RR 95 (3/2011): More supple and elegant than the ’06, with downright pretty notes of white flowers, buttered bread, and honeysuckle, the 2007 Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc sports amazing purity of fruit as well as a focused profile. Gaining complexity with air, picking up edgy minerality, licorice and wild herb nuances on the bouquet, the wine is medium to full bodied on the palate and oh so drinkable, featuring a gorgeously rich texture, fantastic delineation and a clean, focused finish. Superb, this would most likely seem even more impressive if it wasn’t tasted next to the ’06. JLL ****[*] (12/2009): Yellow traces in the robe. Soft, honeycomb, hazelnut and white peach aroma - a winner. Early grip on the palate, has a still firm structure, is rich within. There is glycerol in the texture, but the focus drops at the end for now. There is a lot of typical Marsanne bitter, cut at its centre. "You have to wait for this - 1997 was a bit like this, when the grapes ripened at the end of the season from concentration, which meant a lot of sucrosity in the wine. To have the glycerol, you have to have the alcohol. We picked into October in 2007. It has acidity, but it comes in glimpses." From say 2014.IWC 94+ (2/2010): Bright yellow. Mineral-driven aromas of white peach, nectarine, orange zest and anise, plus an exotic note of yellow Chartreuse. Fleshy orchard and pit fruit flavors enter with very good breadth and richness but the minerality clamps the fruit down in the middle palate and a zesty, peppery element contributes lift and cut. Extremely young and not offering much in the way of complexity on the palate now. The strong, incisive finish strongly echoes the spice and mineral notes. This one demands patience.JR 18 (11/2009): This is still in its youthful earlier drinking period (2009-12, suggested the Chaves - or inbetween the two periods if it’s not served too cold) and was bottled in early Sep 2009. Lots of richness and fullness but good acidity too. There is lots of minerality and a little bitterness on the finish that gives it life. Waxy and exciting.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Jean-LouisChave.aspJLL ****[*] (6/2011): Lustrous pale yellow robe with a fine aspect about it. Has an oak-forward nose, which is fine, so toasted; there is low-key white fruit behind, a suggestion of lavender, light herbs, spice touches. The palate delivers fine fruit in a pebbly texture – this is not at all unctuous, and reflects therefore the weather of the vintage and the ripening cycle. The palate is oak-flecked, holds a dried fruits flavour, and there is a gradual emergence of flan towards the finish – a little gras. There is a spiced grip on the finish, the length is fresh, breezy, wax and flower influenced. This does not show overt gras, is a fine style of wine. From 2015. Patience will be rewarded. IWC 94 (2/2011): Pale gold. Deeply scented aromas of pit fruits and orange marmalade, with hints of smoke and botanical herbs adding complexity. Densely packed but surprisingly lithe in the mouth, offering subtly sweet pit fruit flavors and a solid mineral jolt, as well as mounting spiciness and a strong floral quality. The minerality adds lift and cut to a very long and incisive finish. Chave thinks this will close down soon and be a long ager. WA 92 (2/2011): Consequently, there is little of the 2008 Hermitage Blanc (which was scheduled to be bottled the week after my visit), but it is one of the finest 2008s produced in the Northern Rhone. The wine offers up scents of almond paste, brioche, white currants and quince as well as a full-bodied, concentrated personality displaying good acidity and a more forward style than either the 2009 or 2007. It is best drunk in its first 7-8 years of life.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/Jean-LouisChave.aspWS 94 (12/2010): Rock-solid, with a terrifically built core of black Mission fig, macerated currant and warm fig paste supported by iron-clad tannins. The background is filled with iron, tar and espresso, but this stays racy and pure, despite the dark profile. Just a step behind the 2005, with superb grip and density. Best from 2011 through 2021. 1,415 cases made. WA 93 (4/2009): Clape’s 2006 Cornas reveals notions of scorched earth, smoked meats, blackberries, camphor, figs, cassis, and licorice. It is full-bodied with macho power as well as serious depth. This concentrated yet surprisingly velvety-textured wine should be cellared for 1-2 years, and consumed over the following two decades. It appears that Pierre-Marie Clape is getting more tannic sweetness than his father did.IWC 93 (2/2009): Saturated ruby. Deep, youthfully brooding aromas of cassis, cherry compote, plum, olive tapenade, roasted coffee and burning incense. Dense and sappy in the mouth, displaying sweet black raspberry and cherry pit qualities, with chewy tannins adding grip and gaining power with air. Really takes over the palate, eventually finishing with superb sweet length and a bitter cherry bite.JLL **** (9/2010): Healthy, lustrous dark red - it is more purple than black-tinted. For a Clape Cornas at 4 years old, it has an open, willing bouquet - it mixes up burnt rubber, tar, black fruits, has a smoky top - there is depth in this. The palate is also open on the attack, draws in after half way, picks up some classic Cornas tannins that are a bit powdery now. Ends good and fresh - it is authentic, STGT wine - both pace and vintage are here. A loose-limbed, mineral wine, a child of air more than ground - the latter would be a 1999 or a 2009. I have granite slopes in my glass, with traditional, not spotless, virtues. Violets on the finale. It comes together after 30 minutes-plus, which adds to the fruit on the finish, allowing the fruit to overtake the tannins.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AugustClape.aspWS 93 (10/2010): Delightfully old-school, with plenty of coffee and mulled black olive flavors that are muscular on the finish, where sanguine and iron notes take over, with echoes of dark fruit and mouthwatering acidity in reserve. There's also plenty of grip for mid-term cellaring. Best from 2011 through 2020. 1,500 cases made.IWC 93 (2/2010): Vivid ruby. Highly expressive bouquet of fresh raspberry, cherry, violet and black olive, with slow-building minerality. More lively and precise than the Renaissance, with strong mineral cut to the expansive red fruit flavors. Silky tannins arrive with air and add grip to the long, spicy, impressively pure finish. This wine picked up a lot of richness in the glass but maintained vibrancy and clarity.WA 90-92 (4/2009): A bigger wine, the 2007 Cornas exhibits notes of scorched earth, new saddle leather, blackberries, cassis, figs, and tobacco leaf. Luscious by Clape’s standards, it should age nicely for 15 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AugustClape.aspJLL **** (11/2010): Red, purple touches. Red fruits, rose-floral notes in a more suave nose than GB bottling – reticent style for now, is compact. The palate leads with cut red fruit, offers a gradual build-up of tannins, is more ensemble, more organised and more immediate than GB bottling. “It dips less in mid-palate than the first bottling, has a bit more complexity,” Pierre Clape.WS 93 (10/2011): Dense, with a impressive tannic coating to the chestnut, tobacco, pastis, mulled currant and blackberry fruit flavors. There's a smoldering charcoal note on the finish, with the grip nicely integrated. You'd never guess this as a 2008. A terrific effort for the vintage. Best from 2012 through 2022. 163 cases imported. IWC 92 (2/1011): Deep ruby. A complex bouquet offers raspberry, cherry pit, violet and spice cake, with an intense mineral quality. Deeper, darker fruits on the palate, along with suggestions of allspice and licorice pastille. Shows fine-grained tannins and tangy mineral spine, with a suave blend of richness and vivacity. The very persistent finish is taut and focused, with lingering licorice and spice nuances.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AugustClape.aspJLL ***[*] (11/2010): Quite a bright red, some purple – it is not that deep. Red cherry fruits, like a coulis, are a bit oily in the aroma, which has toasted, grilled, tobacco-smoke sides. The palate sets off with a free run of direct red fruit, but can deliver more gras and weight in time. The fruit is live, clear and tasty, ends on mineral.It will be softer by spring 2011, but can run on over time. Bottled early July 2010. IWC 90 (2/2011): Bright ruby. Lively aromas of raspberry, cherry, spice cake and flowers. Sweet red fruit flavors give way to deeper blackberry notes on the palate, with gentle smokiness and a touch of licorice adding complexity. Nervy acidity adds definition and cut to a long, energetic finish. Olivier said that these lively '08s might surprise people with their ability to age.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AugustClape.aspWA 94 (1/2003): While the 1999 performed better than the 1998, it remains firm and closed, offering plenty of sweet kirsch and blackberry fruit, licorice, spice, and floral aromas. Structured, medium to full-bodied, and moderately tannic, it should be at its finest between 2006-2020. IWC 91 (1/2002): A blend of 65% grenache, 20% mourvedre, 10% syrah and 5% counoise, muscardelle and vaccarese) Moderately saturated red-ruby. Complex nose melds redcurrant, kirsch, iron, tobacco, mocha and spices. Chewy, intensely flavored and fairly deep, but rather tight following the bottling. As usual for this estate, in a rather claret-like style, without the obvious surmaturite of some Chateauneufs. Firm acidity and sweet, fine tannins give this wine the backbone to age slowly. Finishes with subtle persistence.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWA 95 (1/2003): The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape reveals 14.6% alcohol, and is stylistically similar to the great 1990. The 2000 is open-knit and fat, with higher levels of glycerin as well as a more corpulent style than the structured, backward 2001. A deep ruby/purple color is followed by sweet, black cherry/kirsch liqueur-like notes presented in a voluptuous, full-throttle, intense style. It is already revealing such secondary nuances as pepper, garrigue, and truffles. Chewy, full-bodied, and moderately tannic, this cuvee is accessible, but not ready to drink. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.JLL ***** (11/2007): One bottle corked, the second: dark plum robe; nose shows its first stage of evolution - ground coffee, toasted, a bit of animal, is plenty wide. The palate black fruits are softening, they flow very well, are very consecutive and expressive, all the way through. The black fruits are peppery, the tannins still young and tasty. Comes in the orderly house fashion. I like this flow, it is very complete. Has a clear, lip-smack finish. The tannins are still sealed up, and very expressive."Ideal with a leg or shoulder of lamb. "The Mourvèdre is showing on the nose; I still find it closed, and very young on the palate. This is a vintage that reminds me of 1995." V.Avril.IWC 91+ (1/2003): Very good deep red-ruby. Roasted plum and black fruit aromas, with notes of violet, dark chocolate, smoke and game. Fat, lush and superripe; shows more of a roasted character than the 2001, but also boasts solid acidity. A huge, full-blown wine with exotic notes of roasted herbs. Finishes with big, dusty tannins and excellent length.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWS 95 (10/2010): Dark, inviting and very alluring, with captivating black tea, charred mesquite and kirsch aromas and flavors allied to a remarkably silky mouthfeel. Superlong, with mineral, violet, pepper and additional crushed cherry and plum fruit notes all gliding through the finish. Shows none of the difficulties of the vintage-arguably the best property in the appellation right now. Best from 2011 through 2027RR 93 (9/2011): Drinking beautifully and showing just as well as it did a year ago, the 2008 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a huge success for the vintage and possesses a silky, elegant profile, as well as pure, 'drink me now' style. Garrigue, kirsch, herb, and leather all jump from the glass and the wine is medium-bodied on the palate, showing good balance and plenty of length. While still youthful, this doesn’t seem to be holding much back. While I’ve no doubt it will age gracefully, perhaps even up to 12-15 years past the vintage, there no harm in drinking these today and I would shoot for consuming bottles over the coming decade. IWC 91 (4/2011): Bright ruby. A heady bouquet displays fresh red berries, sandalwood, dried flowers and a hint of baking spices. Creamy in texture, with lively acidity lifting sweet red and dark berry and candied rose flavors. Becomes sappier with air and finishes with very good clarity and lingering spiciness. Avril thinks this wine will surprise people with its ability to age.WA 91 (10/2010): Vincent Avril fashioned one of the finest 2008 Chateauneuf du Papes of the appellation. Made from a classic blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and the rest an assortment of permitted varietals, it exhibits a dark color as well as a bouquet of lavender, kirsch, licorice, loamy balsamic notes and hints of roasted meats and herbs. Evolved by this estate’s standards, it is an elegant effort with surprising density and richness. I actually prefer it to the 2005 (which was The Wine Spectator’s Wine of the Year). The 2008 should drink nicely for 10-15 years. JLL *** (10/2010): sound, dark red; dark fruits, smoky aroma that is lucid, wide, and holds up soundly. The palate has an overt spice-pepper nature, spreads out well, and has pretty, scented juice in it. Towards the finish there is the taste of some black cherry. The nose is solid and more grounded than the palate, which is elegant, tender, has a nice oiliness about it. The aftertaste is firm late on, with pockets of fine grain juice on the second half of the palate. 2022-24. "Given all the mildew it is not at all a small vintage. For me this is similar to 2001 or 1993, both elegant years. It is 14.7°, a lot less than 2007 and 2009. It is a finesse, fruit year that can keep. If people like great Burgundies from the Nuits, they will like this" Vincent Avril.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspJLL ****** (12/2011): Steady red robe; has a spiced, flinty, fast impact nose, with a strong Mourvèdre influence, shows red fruit in behind – the bouquet is wide and crouched down, complex and varied. The red fruit air is en finesse. The palate is shutting down, is now tight and enclosed. Really pretty fruit inside it. There is bustle in its tannins, which drive it along well. Very persistent, long, displays heat on the finish. Very good. “Good total acidity this year, better than 2010 - it is balanced. It was difficult to finish off the fermentations. It is now closing down very fast,” Vincent Avril. From 2013 for a while, then from 2018. WS 96 (9/2011): Sinewy and reserved, with a light dusting of cocoa powder over the tangy damson plum, red licorice and cassis notes. The long, supple finish, with a lovely wafting note of Lapsang souchong tea, is packed with minerality and tight-grained tannins that will need time to fully evolve. One of the more backward 2009s, though this should pick up steam in the cellar. Best from 2013 through 2025.WA 95 (10/2011): The 2009 is showing better out of bottle than it was last year. Gorgeous kirsch liqueur notes, raspberry jam, forest floor, spice box, new saddle leather and a peppery spiciness are all present in this deep, voluptuously textured, open-knit Clos des Papes, which is atypically forward, luscious and approachable already. These wines often need a good 5-10 years of cellaring in the more structured vintages, but the 2009 is gorgeous from the get-go. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated wine has a deep purple color and should drink well for 20-25 years without ever really closing down. Readers may want to think of this as a slightly more concentrated version of the 2003, which is one of the great stars of that vintage. IWC 95 (2/2012): Full ruby. Intense aromas of red fruit preserves, anise, lavender and exotic spices. Supple and expansive on the palate, offering deep raspberry and cherry flavors accented by floral pastille and spice nuances. Tannins come on late and build with air, but the fruit keeps pace. Finishes firm and very long, with resonating floral and spice notes and impressive energy.JR 19 (11/2010): This year for the first time he’s made a blended cuvée for tasters because he found the blend in the glass didn’t last very well. We tasted each of his five separate cuves: one Grenache dominated and rich; one with more Syrah and liquorice and stricter; one all cherry charm; one very sappy with lovely ripe tannins. The blend: still a little reduced even after a long walk of swirling round the chai but there is class here. But it’s meaty and masculine. He thinks it will close up fast after bottling in May 2011. A bit of liquorice and leather on the nose but wonderful richness on the palate, glorious breadth and the tannins are nowhere to be seen! Majestic. Great power but no beast, early signs are very good indeed. Structure and fine tannins, lightly leathery, starts to close a little on the end but it’s really a miracle of improvement over the five lovely ingredients.RR 95 (9/2011): While described as masculine by Paul-Vincent (possibly due to the tannin level and quality), I found the 2009 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape to be quite elegant and almost finesse driven, showing gorgeous kirsch and licorice-laced blackberry-like fruits, Asian spice, garrigue, and floral notes on the nose, medium to full body, and a very straight, focused texture that highlights very fine grained tannin. While quite approachable now, with an almost Burgundian-like texture and density, this should ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar, and then consumed over the following decade or longer. A resounding success in the vintage and lovers of Clos des Papes will not be disappointed.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspJLL ****** (12/2011): Steady red robe; has a spiced, flinty, fast impact nose, with a strong Mourvèdre influence, shows red fruit in behind – the bouquet is wide and crouched down, complex and varied. The red fruit air is en finesse. The palate is shutting down, is now tight and enclosed. Really pretty fruit inside it. There is bustle in its tannins, which drive it along well. Very persistent, long, displays heat on the finish. Very good. “Good total acidity this year, better than 2010 - it is balanced. It was difficult to finish off the fermentations. It is now closing down very fast,” Vincent Avril. From 2013 for a while, then from 2018. WS 96 (9/2011): Sinewy and reserved, with a light dusting of cocoa powder over the tangy damson plum, red licorice and cassis notes. The long, supple finish, with a lovely wafting note of Lapsang souchong tea, is packed with minerality and tight-grained tannins that will need time to fully evolve. One of the more backward 2009s, though this should pick up steam in the cellar. Best from 2013 through 2025.WA 95 (10/2011): The 2009 is showing better out of bottle than it was last year. Gorgeous kirsch liqueur notes, raspberry jam, forest floor, spice box, new saddle leather and a peppery spiciness are all present in this deep, voluptuously textured, open-knit Clos des Papes, which is atypically forward, luscious and approachable already. These wines often need a good 5-10 years of cellaring in the more structured vintages, but the 2009 is gorgeous from the get-go. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated wine has a deep purple color and should drink well for 20-25 years without ever really closing down. Readers may want to think of this as a slightly more concentrated version of the 2003, which is one of the great stars of that vintage. IWC 95 (2/2012): Full ruby. Intense aromas of red fruit preserves, anise, lavender and exotic spices. Supple and expansive on the palate, offering deep raspberry and cherry flavors accented by floral pastille and spice nuances. Tannins come on late and build with air, but the fruit keeps pace. Finishes firm and very long, with resonating floral and spice notes and impressive energy.JR 19 (11/2010): This year for the first time he’s made a blended cuvée for tasters because he found the blend in the glass didn’t last very well. We tasted each of his five separate cuves: one Grenache dominated and rich; one with more Syrah and liquorice and stricter; one all cherry charm; one very sappy with lovely ripe tannins. The blend: still a little reduced even after a long walk of swirling round the chai but there is class here. But it’s meaty and masculine. He thinks it will close up fast after bottling in May 2011. A bit of liquorice and leather on the nose but wonderful richness on the palate, glorious breadth and the tannins are nowhere to be seen! Majestic. Great power but no beast, early signs are very good indeed. Structure and fine tannins, lightly leathery, starts to close a little on the end but it’s really a miracle of improvement over the five lovely ingredients.RR 95 (9/2011): While described as masculine by Paul-Vincent (possibly due to the tannin level and quality), I found the 2009 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape to be quite elegant and almost finesse driven, showing gorgeous kirsch and licorice-laced blackberry-like fruits, Asian spice, garrigue, and floral notes on the nose, medium to full body, and a very straight, focused texture that highlights very fine grained tannin. While quite approachable now, with an almost Burgundian-like texture and density, this should ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar, and then consumed over the following decade or longer. A resounding success in the vintage and lovers of Clos des Papes will not be disappointed.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspIWC 92 (1/2008): Light gold. Fresh tangerine and white peach on the nose, with bright minerality adding lift. Deeper apricot and poached pear qualities arrive on the palate, along with anise, sweet butter and succulent herbs. Impressively complex wine, combining depth and energy, and finishing with excellent grip. Vincent Avril is adamant that this should "never be served with mollusks," but that it's fantastic with richer seafood, like grilled lobster. WA 90 (10/2008): The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc is beginning to reveal more quince and minerality characteristics. While it is less exuberant than the 2007, it is beautifully balanced and full-bodied with excellent definition as well as length. It has not yet begun to shut down.JR 17.5 (2/2008): Exceptionally rich on the nose although there are lots of lively shoots of aroma underneath. Long, powerful – very obviously richer in build than a white burgundy but very gouleyant and juicy with a strong hint of quinine. The refreshment factor seems to come more from bitterness and tannin than acid.JLL *** (11/2008): Yellow tones in the robe; has a buttery, lime tart nose – hazelnut, greengage, vanilla and some marked apricot. The palate is soft and buttery on the attack – it is starting to shut down now, lulls, then gets going after half way, and expands into a honeycomb aftertaste. The texture is rich. There is a we bit of end power and gasp, a definite late sinew.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWS 95 (10/2010): Superfresh, with blanched almond, green plum, yellow apple and verbena notes carried by almost brisk minerality. The finish is really bright and mouthwatering. There's rather stony precision and this still a touch tight. Begs for cellaring. Best from 2011 through 2020. 1,000 cases made.WA 94 (10/2011): A fatter, more buttery, more tropical fruit and honeyed style of wine is the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape blanc. Creme brulee notes intermixed with honeysuckle, peach and apricot marmalade are all present in this gorgeous wine, which possesses good definition but lower acidity and less minerality than the 2010. It is certainly a more flattering and exuberant style, so depending on what readers prefer, there is a choice between two completely contrasting vintages of the white wine from Clos des Papes.IWC 92 (2/2012): Vivid yellow. Intense aromas and flavors of candied citrus fruits, quince and honey, with a floral topnote. Juicy and precise, with very good energy to its orange, orchard fruit and chamomile flavors. Closes with impressive thrust and floral character. This wine ages extremely well, by the way. I have recently drunk some older bottles that were all in fantastic shape. The 2004 shows impressive depth and a waxy, honeyed character, with bitter pear skin and citrus pith flavors and a velvety texture. And the 2001 is a rich, velvety wine that offers deep poached pear, honey and spice aromas and flavors, and excellent finishing bite and length.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWS 94 (11/2011): Stony, pure and driven, with melon rind, white peach and verbena notes offset by fine cut and precision, as mineral, salted butter and quinine notes ripple through the very lengthy finish. Lovely now, with the fine acidity to develop nicely in the cellar. Drink now through 2018. 800 cases made.WA 93 (10/2011): The 2010 Clos des Papes blanc, which as I said earlier is an equal part blend of Grenache blanc, Clairette, Roussanne, Picpoul, and Bourboulenc, is aged in stainless steel, with malolactic fermentation blocked to preserve all of its acidity. The 2010 displays honeyed grapefruit, licorice and an almost exotic pineapple note along with a hint of truffle. The wine has superb fruit, precision, minerality and freshness, and should drink nicely for 20-25 or more years. IWC 93 (2/2012): (one-quarter each clairette, grenache blanc, bourboulenc and picpoul, raised in stainless steel): Bright gold. An expressive bouquet evokes fresh citrus and orchard fruits, white flowers and minerals. Racy and precise on entry, then fleshier in the mid-palate, offering juicy orange and pear flavors braced by a hint of lemon zest. Finishes with very good grip and cut, the citrus note echoing. The malo is blocked here, Avril says,"because it is critical to preserve the wine's freshness so that it can age gracefully." He recommends drinking his white Chateauneuf either young, with shellfish, or with about a decade of bottle age, with richer foods like poultry or lobster.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWA 95 (2/2004): Paul Avril feels that purchasers of the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape should “wait ten years” before drinking it. A blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, and 5% Counoise, all aged in large wood foudres prior to being bottled without filtration, was produced from low yields of 27 hectoliters per hectare. A deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by a sweet bouquet of figs, raspberries, new saddle leather, autumnal forest floor, and resiny notes. Full-bodied with beautiful purity as well as a strikingly rich mouthfeel, this seriously endowed Chateauneuf admirably conceals its 14.5% alcohol. A structured finish and impressive extract levels suggest considerable longevity. This firmly tannic, intensely concentrated 2001 boasts great aromatic and palate presence, but it remains young and unevolved. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2020+.WS 93 (12/2005): Lots of black currant, mineral, grilled herb, olive paste and bittersweet cocoa notes. A sinewy texture up front steadily puts on muscle and flesh through the back end, allowing additional hints of chestnut, tar and grilled beef to emerge. A beauty. Drink now through 2015. 9,000 cases made.IWC 93 (2/2004): Good full red. Complex, vibrant nose melds raspberry, blood orange, duck confit, tree bark and toasted hazelnut. Dense, sappy and penetrating, with superb inner-mouth energy. Very spicy, sharply delineated wine with an almost Burgundian texture. Finishes with building, sweet flavors of raspberry, cherry and strawberry, a saline suggestion of extract, and terrific persistence. This wine clearly benefitted from the high quality of mourvedre in 2001.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWA 97 (2/2006): The 2003 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape (the # 2 wine in the Wine Spectator’s annual winefest) has long been one of the most profound wines of the vintage. It somehow manages to offer the vintage’s character in power, high glycerin, and huge volume, but retains remarkable elegance and finesse that is so much in keeping with the style of Clos des Papes. The wine has a dense ruby/purple-tinged color and a wonderfully sweet nose of framboise, blackberry, and kirsch liqueur intermixed with Chinese black tea and licorice. The wine is full-bodied and voluptuous, but once past all the glycerin and beautiful, dense fruit of this full-bodied wine, there is striking purity, elegance, finesse, and surprising freshness. Still primary, it looks set to have a long life of 20-25 or more years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.WS 97 (11/2005): Lilting and perfumy, with a grace that belies the vintage, this offers layer upon layer of raspberry, boysenberry, floral, mineral and mocha flavors that glide to a long, silky, refined finish. So seductive, you almost miss how powerful it is--a masterful job of winemaking. Drink now through 2030.IWC 94 (2/2006): Deep red color. Positively explosive aromas of fresh cherry, redcurrant, blackberry and candied licorice ("the most kirsch I've ever found in a wine," says Avril). Huge and mouthfilling, with serious weight but also excellent purity to the lush, powerful fruit. Deeply pitched dark chocolate and espresso add even more heft to the flavors, and roasted herbs contribute lift. For all of these elements, the wine is elegant, finishing with outstanding energy and focus.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWA 97 (2/2006): The 2003 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape (the # 2 wine in the Wine Spectator’s annual winefest) has long been one of the most profound wines of the vintage. It somehow manages to offer the vintage’s character in power, high glycerin, and huge volume, but retains remarkable elegance and finesse that is so much in keeping with the style of Clos des Papes. The wine has a dense ruby/purple-tinged color and a wonderfully sweet nose of framboise, blackberry, and kirsch liqueur intermixed with Chinese black tea and licorice. The wine is full-bodied and voluptuous, but once past all the glycerin and beautiful, dense fruit of this full-bodied wine, there is striking purity, elegance, finesse, and surprising freshness. Still primary, it looks set to have a long life of 20-25 or more years. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2025.WS 97 (11/2005): Lilting and perfumy, with a grace that belies the vintage, this offers layer upon layer of raspberry, boysenberry, floral, mineral and mocha flavors that glide to a long, silky, refined finish. So seductive, you almost miss how powerful it is--a masterful job of winemaking. Drink now through 2030.IWC 94 (2/2006): Deep red color. Positively explosive aromas of fresh cherry, redcurrant, blackberry and candied licorice ("the most kirsch I've ever found in a wine," says Avril). Huge and mouthfilling, with serious weight but also excellent purity to the lush, powerful fruit. Deeply pitched dark chocolate and espresso add even more heft to the flavors, and roasted herbs contribute lift. For all of these elements, the wine is elegant, finishing with outstanding energy and focus.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWS 96 (11/2006): Amazingly refined, with a pure, silky current of raspberry ganache and cassis flavors that glides along supple tannins. Hints of mocha, mineral and garrigue check in on the long, pure finish. Has serious structure for the long haul. All about balance and finesse. Drink now through 2030. 6,880 cases made.WS 95 (2/2007): The 2004 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape has turned out to be one of the finest wines of the vintage, tipping the scales at just over 15% alcohol and actually coming a few tenths of a degree within the 2003 and 2005 in terms of power and alcoholic degrees. The wine displays gorgeously sweet black raspberries, kirsch liqueur, and resiny, loamy soil notes. Medium to full-bodied, this blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, and the rest some of the other red varietals that are permitted, is performing beautifully and is certainly one of the vintage's superstars. The wine is full-bodied, powerful, rich, and as accessible as the 2003, but slightly fresher and not as muscular and thick. Nevertheless, this is a top effort from the father and son team of Paul and Vincent Avril. This wine can be drunk now but can be cellared for 15-20 years.IWC 94 (2/2007): Deep ruby. Pungent spice and floral notes accent bright red berry and cherry aromas. Deep, fleshy and sweet, with musky underbrush and garrigue adding complexity to the bright, intense red berry flavors. Very rich, in fact one of the more powerful wines of the vintage, with excellent depth and sweetness. The finish is chewy and strikingly long. Avril compares this one to 1995 in quality.RR 94 (9/2011): Seeming to always show well, the 2004 Clos des Papes is a textbook, classically styled Châteauneuf that boasts gorgeously complex aromas (spice, licorice, saddle leather, kirsch), medium body, a silky, elegant texture, and plenty of length on the finish. While open and evolved aromatically and drinking beautifully, this should continue to hold for another decade. JLL **** (11/2007): Bit less dark than the 2005, has a pretty full robe, with a decent red core. The nose is rather gourmand, with soaked black berries and prune aromas: has plenty of sweet, violet appeal, and is trimmed by some black tea and smoke as well. The palate moves with restraint, has a peppery theme after a split second of live attack. There is sinew in this, it is closing down now. The tannins are prominent late on. Not at its best to appreciate now. Drink from mid-2010/2011 for more roundness. The bouquet is more offering than the palate now. Ends with richness, but is less flamboyant than the 2005 and 2006.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWA 99+ (10/2009): Paul Avril was a bigger-than-life vigneron, a visionary, and a great teacher, but Vincent has been in charge for a number of years, and he has rewarded his father with what I believe is the greatest Chateauneuf du Pape made since 1978 and 1990, the 2007. I have not only tasted this wine at the estate, but I purchased it for my cellar, and have now drunk it on three separate occasions out of bottle. It is unquestionably one of the great Chateauneufs of my lifetime, and I suspect it will merit a three digit score after another 3-4 years of cellaring. The blend is generally 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, and the rest small amounts of Muscardin, Vaccarese, Counoise, and Syrah. It exhibits what is probably the deepest color I have ever seen here, and the finished alcohol is a high (for Clos des Papes) 15.5%. Still slightly restrained because of its recent bottling, but wow, what potential complexity, mind-boggling richness, and compelling flavor profile are apparent. It is a sublime expression of the art of winemaking as evidenced by its dense purple color and big, sweet kiss of kirsch, framboise, blackberries, licorice, roasted herbs, and smoked meat. It hits the palate with a fascinating combination of substance, power, full-bodied authority yet extraordinary freshness, elegance, and precision. Give it 3-4 years of cellaring, and watch it unleash its glory over the next three decades. This is a prodigious wine of great quality from one of the most important reference point estates in Chateauneuf du Pape. RR 99 (3/2012): Taking the better part of the evening to open up, and really not shining until the second day, the monumental 2007 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape has shed some of the bombastic levels of fruit it possessed on release, and is developing into a textbook Clos des Papes that exudes richness, as well as finesse and elegance. Loaded with kirsch liqueur, licorice, crushed rock, flowers, and sweet spice, this full-bodied Châteauneuf-du-Pape hits the palate with a wealth of fruit and glycerin, yet remains perfectly balanced, seamless, and incredibly fresh and light. There?s no shortage of tannin or structure, and this needs a solid 4-5 years of bottle age to really start to hit its stride. It should be very long lived and any southern Rhône lover needs to have this wine in the cellar!WS 97 (10/2009): (#42 Wine for 2009) Absolutely stunning, with a deep well of crème de cassis that's thoroughly pure and captivating, while black tea, fig cake, hoisin sauce, incense and graphite notes weave throughout. The supervelvety finish lets blackberry, boysenberry and crushed cherry fruit take an encore- as if this needed any more fruit. A fantastic display of precision in a very opulent year. Best from 2010 through 2030. 8,000 cases made.JLL ***** (11/2008): Full, dark red - the robe mixes some black with a slight purple rim. On the nose, there are blackberry (Grenache) with licorice (Mourvèdre) influences - and a silken raspberry aroma that has a lot of poise and is very suave. The palate has a rich, full, veering towards dense start, and comes with traces of chocolate in the flavour, alongside a cherry note. It is wide and well-juiced, ending on a final quarter of steady tannic growth. This is more structured than many 2007s at present - I like its fresh end and good length. The power shows up through some kirsch in the late taste. All very orderly, good prospects. From 2013. IWC 95+ (2/2010): Deep ruby. Powerful, pungent aromas of kirsch, dark berries, smoky herbs and spicecake, with notes of black olive and tobacco coming on with air. Chewy, palate-staining dark fruit flavors are complicated by bitter chocolate, licorice and black cardamom. Acts like a 2005 today, with serious structure but also superb depth of powerful, densely packed fruit. A hint of cherry skin adds grip and refreshing bitterness to the long, smoky, focused finish. Not an easy read right now: this demands cellaring. WS 97 (10/2009): Absolutely stunning, with a deep well of crème de cassis that's thoroughly pure and captivating, while black tea, fig cake, hoisin sauce, incense and graphite notes weave throughout. The supervelvety finish lets blackberry, boysenberry and crushed cherry fruit take an encore—as if this needed any more fruit. A fantastic display of precision in a very opulent year. Best from 2010 through 2030. 8,000 cases made.JLL ***** (11/2008): 7 barrels together) Full, dark red – the robe mixes some black with a slight purple rim. On the nose, there are blackberry (Grenache) with licorice (Mourvèdre) influences – and a silken raspberry aroma that has a lot of poise and is very suave. The palate has a rich, full, veering towards dense start, and comes with traces of chocolate in the flavour, alongside a cherry note. It is wide and well-juiced, ending on a final quarter of steady tannic growth. This is more structured than mhttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspJLL ****** (12/2011): Steady red robe; has a spiced, flinty, fast impact nose, with a strong Mourvèdre influence, shows red fruit in behind – the bouquet is wide and crouched down, complex and varied. The red fruit air is en finesse. The palate is shutting down, is now tight and enclosed. Really pretty fruit inside it. There is bustle in its tannins, which drive it along well. Very persistent, long, displays heat on the finish. Very good. “Good total acidity this year, better than 2010 - it is balanced. It was difficult to finish off the fermentations. It is now closing down very fast,” Vincent Avril. From 2013 for a while, then from 2018. WS 96 (9/2011): Sinewy and reserved, with a light dusting of cocoa powder over the tangy damson plum, red licorice and cassis notes. The long, supple finish, with a lovely wafting note of Lapsang souchong tea, is packed with minerality and tight-grained tannins that will need time to fully evolve. One of the more backward 2009s, though this should pick up steam in the cellar. Best from 2013 through 2025.WA 95 (10/2011): The 2009 is showing better out of bottle than it was last year. Gorgeous kirsch liqueur notes, raspberry jam, forest floor, spice box, new saddle leather and a peppery spiciness are all present in this deep, voluptuously textured, open-knit Clos des Papes, which is atypically forward, luscious and approachable already. These wines often need a good 5-10 years of cellaring in the more structured vintages, but the 2009 is gorgeous from the get-go. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated wine has a deep purple color and should drink well for 20-25 years without ever really closing down. Readers may want to think of this as a slightly more concentrated version of the 2003, which is one of the great stars of that vintage. IWC 95 (2/2012): Full ruby. Intense aromas of red fruit preserves, anise, lavender and exotic spices. Supple and expansive on the palate, offering deep raspberry and cherry flavors accented by floral pastille and spice nuances. Tannins come on late and build with air, but the fruit keeps pace. Finishes firm and very long, with resonating floral and spice notes and impressive energy.JR 19 (11/2010): This year for the first time he’s made a blended cuvée for tasters because he found the blend in the glass didn’t last very well. We tasted each of his five separate cuves: one Grenache dominated and rich; one with more Syrah and liquorice and stricter; one all cherry charm; one very sappy with lovely ripe tannins. The blend: still a little reduced even after a long walk of swirling round the chai but there is class here. But it’s meaty and masculine. He thinks it will close up fast after bottling in May 2011. A bit of liquorice and leather on the nose but wonderful richness on the palate, glorious breadth and the tannins are nowhere to be seen! Majestic. Great power but no beast, early signs are very good indeed. Structure and fine tannins, lightly leathery, starts to close a little on the end but it’s really a miracle of improvement over the five lovely ingredients.RR 95 (9/2011): While described as masculine by Paul-Vincent (possibly due to the tannin level and quality), I found the 2009 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape to be quite elegant and almost finesse driven, showing gorgeous kirsch and licorice-laced blackberry-like fruits, Asian spice, garrigue, and floral notes on the nose, medium to full body, and a very straight, focused texture that highlights very fine grained tannin. While quite approachable now, with an almost Burgundian-like texture and density, this should ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar, and then consumed over the following decade or longer. A resounding success in the vintage and lovers of Clos des Papes will not be disappointed.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspJLL ****** (12/2011): Steady red robe; has a spiced, flinty, fast impact nose, with a strong Mourvèdre influence, shows red fruit in behind – the bouquet is wide and crouched down, complex and varied. The red fruit air is en finesse. The palate is shutting down, is now tight and enclosed. Really pretty fruit inside it. There is bustle in its tannins, which drive it along well. Very persistent, long, displays heat on the finish. Very good. “Good total acidity this year, better than 2010 - it is balanced. It was difficult to finish off the fermentations. It is now closing down very fast,” Vincent Avril. From 2013 for a while, then from 2018. WS 96 (9/2011): Sinewy and reserved, with a light dusting of cocoa powder over the tangy damson plum, red licorice and cassis notes. The long, supple finish, with a lovely wafting note of Lapsang souchong tea, is packed with minerality and tight-grained tannins that will need time to fully evolve. One of the more backward 2009s, though this should pick up steam in the cellar. Best from 2013 through 2025.WA 95 (10/2011): The 2009 is showing better out of bottle than it was last year. Gorgeous kirsch liqueur notes, raspberry jam, forest floor, spice box, new saddle leather and a peppery spiciness are all present in this deep, voluptuously textured, open-knit Clos des Papes, which is atypically forward, luscious and approachable already. These wines often need a good 5-10 years of cellaring in the more structured vintages, but the 2009 is gorgeous from the get-go. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated wine has a deep purple color and should drink well for 20-25 years without ever really closing down. Readers may want to think of this as a slightly more concentrated version of the 2003, which is one of the great stars of that vintage. IWC 95 (2/2012): Full ruby. Intense aromas of red fruit preserves, anise, lavender and exotic spices. Supple and expansive on the palate, offering deep raspberry and cherry flavors accented by floral pastille and spice nuances. Tannins come on late and build with air, but the fruit keeps pace. Finishes firm and very long, with resonating floral and spice notes and impressive energy.JR 19 (11/2010): This year for the first time he’s made a blended cuvée for tasters because he found the blend in the glass didn’t last very well. We tasted each of his five separate cuves: one Grenache dominated and rich; one with more Syrah and liquorice and stricter; one all cherry charm; one very sappy with lovely ripe tannins. The blend: still a little reduced even after a long walk of swirling round the chai but there is class here. But it’s meaty and masculine. He thinks it will close up fast after bottling in May 2011. A bit of liquorice and leather on the nose but wonderful richness on the palate, glorious breadth and the tannins are nowhere to be seen! Majestic. Great power but no beast, early signs are very good indeed. Structure and fine tannins, lightly leathery, starts to close a little on the end but it’s really a miracle of improvement over the five lovely ingredients.RR 95 (9/2011): While described as masculine by Paul-Vincent (possibly due to the tannin level and quality), I found the 2009 Clos des Papes Châteauneuf-du-Pape to be quite elegant and almost finesse driven, showing gorgeous kirsch and licorice-laced blackberry-like fruits, Asian spice, garrigue, and floral notes on the nose, medium to full body, and a very straight, focused texture that highlights very fine grained tannin. While quite approachable now, with an almost Burgundian-like texture and density, this should ideally be given 3-4 years in the cellar, and then consumed over the following decade or longer. A resounding success in the vintage and lovers of Clos des Papes will not be disappointed.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.aspWA 93 (10/2007): The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape, which is basically a blend of 75% Grenache aged in tank or large foudres and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault, is exquisite, deeper, and richer than even the impressive 2006. Dense plum/ruby/purple with notes of incense, melted licorice, blackberry, and sweet cherry, the wine is peppery, spicy, rich, full-bodied, layered and chewy. It is a superb example of Chateauneuf du Pape that should drink well for 10-15 years. IWC 89+ (2/2008): Deep ruby. Gamey cherry and blackcurrant scents are complicated by smoked meat, licorice and dark chocolate. Chewy and sweet, with deep blackcurrant and bitter cherry flavors, and a potent olive quality on the back. Gains sweetness with air but this is pretty brooding today.JLL **[*] (6/2008): Quite dark, evolving prune colour; tangy, tarry nose that is starting to turn mineral within its black, ripe plum, near prune fruit aroma. The palate has plenty of guts, and a straight, full delivery. Black stone fruits, prunes lead the charge in a traditional, robust way. It ends on the pepper and damp leaf of the vintage, is an honest wine. The aftertaste is coffee-like.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspWA 94 (10/2009): The fact that there are nearly 6,500 cases of the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape, a great sleeper of the vintage, should ensure that many consumers will have the chance to taste this extraordinary effort. It is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre, Cinsault, Muscardin, and Vaccarase, all from 70-year-old vines, aged in tank (the Grenache) and small barrels and demi-muids. Its dense plum/ruby/purple color is followed by a rich, sumptuous bouquet of crushed dried flowers, sweet black cherry and blackberry fruit, a voluptuous mouthfeel, broad, deep, concentrated flavors, and unbelievable purity, depth, richness, freshness, and vibrancy (a hallmark of this special vintage). Accessible and palate saturating, but never heavy or overbearing, this amazing wine should drink well for 15 or more years. RR 94 (8/2009): An amazing base wine, the 2007 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape has soaring aromatics of incense, bakers spice, licorice, grilled meat and toasted bread that are mixed with perfumed red fruits. The palate is full bodied, silky smooth, balanced and long with fine grained tannins adding edge and precision. This fantastic wine should drink well for 10 to 12 years. WS 92 (12/2009): Superripe and friendly, but also sleek and refined, with a gorgeous mouthfeel to the black currant, crushed plum and black cherry fruit, all laid over black tea and shiso leaf notes. The finish is long and perfumy. Drink now through 2019. 4,350 cases made.IWC 91 (2/2010): Dark ruby. Ripe dark berries and cherry on the nose, with complicating notes of anise and musky herbs. Fleshy, gently sweet black raspberry and cherry flavors are firmed by fine-grained tannins that fade into the fruit on the back end. Very smooth and seamless in texture, with very good closing sweetness and spicy persistence.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspRR 99 (9/2008): Clos St. Jean's 2003 Deus-Ex Machina hits all of my sweet spots and is reminiscent of the 2001 Mordoree with its thickness, unreal concentration and ripeness. The nose is massive with ripe blackberry, plum, licorice and meaty aromas that are about as good as it gets. The palate is full bodied, thick and unbelievably concentrated with a fantastic texture, huge underlying structure and amazing extract. This shows masses of ripe, mouth coating tannins on the long, long finish. Not traditional; not subtle; absolutely fantastic! WA 95+ (2/2006): The richest and most structured wine, and also the deepest in color (a dark purple) is the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus-Ex Machina. They should have called it “the sex machine.” An explosive nose of blackberries, sweet cherries, melted licorice, smoke and resiny notes is followed by a broad, expansive, full-bodied wine with moderate tannin, massive fruit, and a huge finish that lasts for almost 40+ seconds. This is stunning wine that can be drunk early on or cellared for up to 15 or more years. IWC 93 (12/2008): Deep ruby. Very rich nose displays powerful cherry, cassis and blueberry aromas. Really showing the fruit today, with deep dark fruit compote flavors and a suggestion of spicecake. The finish really hangs in there. This is still a baby but possesses serious depth and potential. I called this 92(+?) on release.WS 92 (11/2005): Dense, modern style, with lots of cocoa and toast covering the black currant, mineral and tar flavors. Thick, almost loamy finish will need some cellaring, but there's superb concentration and depth here. Best from 2006 through 2020. 200 cases imported.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspWA 95 (2/2007): The top cuvee, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus-Ex Machina, a blend of 60% Grenache from ancient vines aged in foudres and 40% Mourvedre aged in small barrels, might well turn out to be the wine of the vintage. It is one of the few 2004s that can compete with the dozen or so monumental wines produced in Chateauneuf du Pape in 2003. This wine is dense ruby/purple to the rim, has a stunning nose of blackberry, crushed roasted Provencal herbs, and rich aged beef-like smells. The wine is sweet from glycerin and richness rather than any residual sugar as it is totally dry. It has fabulous texture, great purity, and stunning complexity and length. This is a real blockbuster wine that totally transcends the vintage character. Drink it over the next 12-15+ years. IWC 95 (2/2007): Inky violet. Heady bouquet of raspberry, black cherry, lavender and fruity black pepper. Impressively concentrated and deep, with powerful, liqueur-like blackberry and cassis flavors enrobing big but supple tannins. Finishes with building sweetness and serious weight, but also with superb focus, leaving behind an impression of dark fruit essences. The yield here was reportedly 20 hectoliters per hectare.RR 94 (8/2009): A blockbuster wine, the 2004 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina possesses heady notes of spice, blueberries, figs and exotic spice aromas. Over the coarse of the evening, the wine fleshed out and is a full bodied, rich long wine. Drinking well now, this shouldn’t have any issues lasting for another 10 to 15 years. WS 93 (5/2007): An impressive modern style, with layers of chocolate ganache, fig paste and graphite held together by muscular tannins and plenty of sweet toast and tar on the finish. Has a lot in reserve, with a hint of garrigue in the background keeping it honest. Best from 2008 through 2023. 125 cases imported. JLL **** (11/2006): Upright, but full shape to bouquet, some potency and oaking here. Berry fruit kick-off to palate, with from half way a marked dark fruit-tar-licorice-prune punch of flavour. Chewy, vigorous aftertaste. Esp 2010 on.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspWA 95 (2/2007): The top cuvee, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus-Ex Machina, a blend of 60% Grenache from ancient vines aged in foudres and 40% Mourvedre aged in small barrels, might well turn out to be the wine of the vintage. It is one of the few 2004s that can compete with the dozen or so monumental wines produced in Chateauneuf du Pape in 2003. This wine is dense ruby/purple to the rim, has a stunning nose of blackberry, crushed roasted Provencal herbs, and rich aged beef-like smells. The wine is sweet from glycerin and richness rather than any residual sugar as it is totally dry. It has fabulous texture, great purity, and stunning complexity and length. This is a real blockbuster wine that totally transcends the vintage character. Drink it over the next 12-15+ years. IWC 95 (2/2007): Inky violet. Heady bouquet of raspberry, black cherry, lavender and fruity black pepper. Impressively concentrated and deep, with powerful, liqueur-like blackberry and cassis flavors enrobing big but supple tannins. Finishes with building sweetness and serious weight, but also with superb focus, leaving behind an impression of dark fruit essences. The yield here was reportedly 20 hectoliters per hectare.RR 94 (8/2009): A blockbuster wine, the 2004 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina possesses heady notes of spice, blueberries, figs and exotic spice aromas. Over the coarse of the evening, the wine fleshed out and is a full bodied, rich long wine. Drinking well now, this shouldn’t have any issues lasting for another 10 to 15 years. WS 93 (5/2007): An impressive modern style, with layers of chocolate ganache, fig paste and graphite held together by muscular tannins and plenty of sweet toast and tar on the finish. Has a lot in reserve, with a hint of garrigue in the background keeping it honest. Best from 2008 through 2023. 125 cases imported. JLL **** (11/2006): Upright, but full shape to bouquet, some potency and oaking here. Berry fruit kick-off to palate, with from half way a marked dark fruit-tar-licorice-prune punch of flavour. Chewy, vigorous aftertaste. Esp 2010 on.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspWA 100 (10/2009): The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous (meaning "Valley of the Fools"), which comes from a specific vineyard known as Les Combes, was cropped at extremely low yields of 20-25 hectoliters per hectare. Atypically for a Chateauneuf du Pape, it contains a high percentage of Vaccarese (10%), along with 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault. The Grenache was aged in tank, and the other varietals spent time in old small barrels or demi-muids. Explosive aromatics include spring flowers, boysenberries, blueberries, black raspberries, graphite, and charcoal. A powerful wine with great depth, full body, and an endless finish, it is exquisitely pure with not a rough edge to be found. It is the equivalent of liquid haute couture. The Musigny of the southern Rhone, it possesses extraordinary aromatics followed by a wine with the texture, length, and multilayered mouthfeel that are the stuff of dreams. Looking back at my tasting notes, the first thing I wrote was "whoa!" Deep plum/purple to the rim, this wine should evolve for 20-25 years, but it is already remarkably accessible. The vintage’s freshness as evidenced by the lack of any excessive heat and cool nights has given an aromatic singularity to the 2007s that is largely unprecedented in my tasting experience.RR 98 (8/2009): The absolutely stunning 2007 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 10% Vaccarese and offers up amazing aromatics of kirsch, raspberries, bakers spice, incense, and potpourri that are both ripe/hedonistic and complex and nuanced. With air, it picks up an underlying minerality that keeps the wine fresh and vibrant. The palate is pure silk and despite its massive, sweet fruit and full body, remains elegant, seamless and perfectly balanced. The finish shows the wine’s structure and everything points to this lasting a long time… and the fruit should have it drinkable for all of its life! A stunning bottle of wine. WS 96 (11/2009): This has gorgeous aromas and mouthfeel, with freshly brewed Mocha Java, warm fig and incense notes up front, followed by dark, macerated currant and cherry fruit. The long finish is velvety and suave, with hints of mesquite, loam, licorice snap and sweet earth that just sail on. Best from 2010 through 2030. 535 cases made. IWC 95 (2/2010): Inky ruby. Pungent, strongly perfumed bouquet of ripe dark berries, cherry compote, olive and floral oils. Smooth, palate-coating mulberry and kirsch flavors are complicated by candied lavender and rose qualities that gain power with aeration. The floral element dominates the very long, spicy, strikingly pure finish. This is extremely sexy now but clearly destined for a long life. JR 17.5+ (8/2009): Tarry and rich. Lively and rather floral fruit with excellent balance. Not the most dramatic wine, but there is great balance here. And enormous energy too. I don’t see how anyone would be disappointed by this wine. What a lovely drink! JLL **[*] (3/2009): Mottled, dark matt robe. Coffee, brewed aroma that reaches across the glass, is not nuanced, rumbles along in a belt and braces way. This is a firm wine, something of the groundhog about it, and I notice a bit of Brett as well in the later stages. It rumbles along, is not precise at this juncture. Rather rustic, needs decanting, and probably another 2 years in bottle. Does not tally with pre-bottle. From late 2011.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspRR 98 (9/2011): About as elegant and seamless as Châteauneuf-du-Pape gets, the brilliant 2009 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous is a blend of 60% old vine Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, and 10% Vaccarese. While the Grenache is aged entirely in tank, the Syrah is aged in demi-muids. Sporting massive aromatics of incense, meat juice, flowers, spice, and loads of licorice-drenched red fruits that literally leap from the glass, the wine is full-bodied and simply perfectly put together. Seamless, very rich, and yet not heavy or cumbersome in the least, this firms up beautifully on the finish and highlights very fine, polished tannin. Quite possibly the wine of the vintage, this is heavenly stuff that should age effortlessly for two decades. WA 96 (10/2011): More restrained as well as less intense and powerful, the dense purple-hued 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous offers elegant kirsch notes. While it is not quite up to the level of the 2005, 2007 or 2010, it is a rich, well proportioned effort offering notes of pen ink, raspberries, blueberries, sweet cherries and spring flowers. Full-bodied as well as polished and focused (especially for a 2009), it should drink nicely for 15-20 years. IWC 94 (2/2012): Full ruby. An exotic, highly perfumed bouquet evokes red and dark berry preserves, star anise and a whiff of Grand Marnier. Juicy, palate-coating raspberry and boysenberry flavors show a felicitous blend of power and vivacity, with no rough edges and slow-building spiciness. Closes on a sweet note, with lingering anise and floral notes. WS 94 (11/2011): This is packed with flavors of dark plum, boysenberry preserves and licorice, but comes across as silky and perfumy, with gorgeous mouthfeel and alluring incense and Lapsang souchong tea notes that help the finish cruise seamlessly. Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault and Vaccarèse. Drink now through 2021. 452 cases made.JLL **[*] (9/2011): Dark-tinted red; high notes on the nose, slight meatiness, with reduction present, a bit torrid. Robust, forceful palate with prominent acidity: not yet settled. Has a wiry infill, not in the gourmand vein. Oak on the finish apparent. 14.5°. From 2014. Certainly needs time if it is to improve, and may be under the shadow of its bottling.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspRR 93 (9/2011): A fantastic base cuvee, the 2009 Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of 75% tank aged Grenache, 15% Syrah, and the rest Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Vaccarese. It displays a meaty, perfumed, and spice-laced bouquet of red fruits, licorice, and mineral, medium to full body, a superb, silky texture, admirable balance, and plenty of length on the finish. While not as deep or rich as the Vieilles Vignes, it has solid concentration and a very drinkable, delicious style. Consume bottles over the coming decade or so. WA 93 (10/2011): A sleeper of the vintage, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape is much less expensive than the other cuvees and represents a noteworthy buy. Classic kirsch liqueur, roasted Provencal herb and sandy, loamy soil characteristics are found in this dense, opulent, voluptuously textured wine that is on a much faster evolutionary track than the 2010. It should drink well for a decade. IWC 90-92 (4/2011): Ruby-red. Wild, highly perfumed aromas of black and blue fruits, anise and spices. Dense and creamy but fresh, bolstered by very good energy to the blackberry, mulberry and cracked pepper flavors. Finishes with fine-grained tannins and excellent spicy persistence.JLL ***[*] (9/2011): Matt tints in the red colour; meaty, sturdy nose, red meat droplets, an intense core. Sweet fruit debut to the palate, a measured gras in this, a shade of evolution already. It is wide across the palate, has 2009 juice. The length is sound, and roundness will arrive. From late 2012.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosSaintJean.aspWA 92-95 (2/2008): The 2006 Gigondas Valbelle stylistically represents a transition between the masculine Le Claux and the more feminine Le Poste. Dense ruby/purple with fabulous ripeness, great fruit purity, plenty of boysenberry, blackberry, and cherry notes intermixed with licorice, smoke, and meat juices, the wine is full-bodied, opulent, with good underlying acidity and a terrific finish. It should drink well for 15 or more years.IWC 91+ (2/2009): Inky purple. Peppery, intensely perfumed aromas of blackberry, kirsch, potpourri and graphite; the tiny syrah component is obvious today. Energetic dark berry flavors are given spine by tangy minerals and gain sweetness with air. Very young but there's great potential here. Finishes sweet and precise.WS 93 (10/2008): Richly layered but seamless, with black Mission fig, mulled spice, Lapsang souchong tea and roasted sage notes that stay both powerful and focused through the long, suave finish. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2018. 915 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeStCosme.aspWA 93 (2/2006): The top cuvee, the 2003 Gigondas Valbelle, displays charcoal, blackberry, and cassis fruit along with hints of pepper, dried herbs, and roasted meats. The wine’s high alcohol is well-matched by its fruit concentration and dense structure. Low acidity and sweet tannin suggest it can be drunk now or cellared for 10-12 years. IWC 93 (2/2006): Deep violet. Rich, powerful scents of cassis, creme de mure, candied licorice and cherry cola. Deep and folded in on itself, with stunningly concentrated but focused dark berry and plum flavors saturating the palate. Finishes ripe and long, with great thrust. From 80-year-old grenache vines. JLL *** (6/2008): Red plum with some lightening of its depth. The bouquet is charged, sweet-toned and rather sappy – exudes sweet tea, and the onset of some game and damp woods. The palate has a pretty, rich start, the richness full and wholesome. It ends towards a drier, licorice tannin note and the final quarter is peppered and grippy. I am not sure about its ability to swallow its oak. From late 2009.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdeStCosme.aspJLL *** (7/2010): Steady yellow robe; refined bouquet, rather salty top air. Tight fruit on the palate, late grip - this is an ensemble, the balance is OK.IWC 90 (2/2010): (one-third new barriques Light, bright yellow. Lively aromas of orange, dusty stone, anise and honeysuckle. Dense but tightly wound, with spicy acidity cutting the wine's impression of ripeness. Tangy minerality contributes energy to the ripe pear and apple flavors, which pick up a bitter peach pit note on the back end. Manages to be both fresh and lively, and finishes with very good clarity and nervy persistence.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomYvesCuilleron.aspJLL *** (3/2011): Pale yellow; apricot-scented, crème patisserie aroma - a soft, inviting nose that trails some honey. The palate has a wiry nature, a sort of trit trot of acidity - up and down go the hooves. The nose is settling ahead of the palate. There is a cut and a lime influence in the flavour. The finish and sign-off are clear. From 2013 - no hurry. "It was always open from the start, with belle acidity - the Roussanne always has good acidity. I compare it to 1996, another late year with a lot of acidity," Yves Cuilleron.JR 16.5 (11/2009): Mineral, smoke, flint, butter, dairy. Soft and ripe in the mouth, creamy texture with apple scent.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomYvesCuilleron.aspWA 95 (10/2009): A blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah and Mourvedre, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Lucille Avril receives the same upbringing as the regular cuvee, but is made from some of the estate’s oldest vines. Even better post-bottling, its saturated ruby/purple color offers up notes of cassis, jammy cherries, smoke, camphor, licorice, meat juices, and roasted herbs. Full-bodied, pure, broad, layered, and exceptionally long and silky, it can be drunk now or cellared for two decades or more. Bravo!http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomaineDurieu.aspRR 91 (8/2010):A blend of 90% Syrah from 30 year old vines and 10% Grenache from 60 year old vines, the 2008 Domaine des Escaravailles Les Hautes des Granges sees a year in barrique and sports a completely opaque purple color as well as spectacular aromatics of violets, crushed raspberries, pepper, wild herbs, and tobacco. With air, this picks up Northern Rhone like notes of smoked meats and serious underlying minerality, all the while staying fresh, vibrant and pure. On the palate, the wine is medium bodied with a round, light texture, perfectly ripe, concentrated fruit, and a clean, long finish. It lacks a touch of structure and depth on the palate, but I'm a fan and this screams Syrah. Drink over the next 5 to 8 years.WA 90 (10/2009): The impressive 2008 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Roaix Les Hautes Granges is not far off the quality of the 2007 version. This high quality, 100% Syrah exhibits plenty of dark berry, smoke, and acacia flowers in its fresh, full-bodied, deep, surprisingly supple, juicy personality. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdesEscaravailles.aspIWC 90 (2/2002): Full, deep red. Perfumed, Burgundian aromas of tangy raspberry, flowers and smoke. Highly aromatic in the mouth, with perfectly integrated acids brightening and extending the red fruit and floral flavors. Finishes with lovely length and vibrancy. This will rely as much on its ripe acids as on its fine tannins for development in bottle.WA 88 (12/2001): The 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape offers a medium ruby/purple color as well as a big, forceful, perfumed bouquet of licorice, crushed pepper, Provencal herbs, blackberries, and cherries. The aromatic fireworks are followed by a soft, easy going, medium to full-bodied wine that the French would call a vin de plaisir. The complex nose, evolved palate, luscious fruit, abundant glycerin, and velvety texture have resulted in a charming, forward Chateauneuf to enjoy over the next 6-8 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomFontdeMichelle.aspIWC 95 (2/2010): Glass-staining ruby. Decadent, highly perfumed aromas of black raspberry, kirsch, potpourri and incense, with a smoky undertone. Lush, palate-staining red and dark berry compote flavors are given spine by juicy acidity and gain sweetness and power with air. For a big, weighty wine this is almost shockingly graceful. The finish repeats the dark fruit and smoke notes and leaves spices and minerals behind, eventually. Two-thirds of this cuvee, which had no name when I tasted it from barrel last year and called it "Vieilles Vignes," is from century-old grenache vines in La Crau.JLL ****[*] (12/2008): Stable, quite dark red colour; the aroma is even handed, calm - it is sealed now, but suggests a brooding mix of airs to come. The palate has a firm core, with noticeable tannins, just on the austere side for now. There are good sides to this - it runs securely and its clarity is pretty, The finish is pure; an alert, well-filled wine. From 2011.WA 93 (10/2009): A new offering, the outstanding 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Elegance de Jeanne (only 200 cases produced) was made from 108-year-old Grenache vines grown in the famed eastern Chateauneuf du Pape lieu-dit called La Crau. Although it possesses the lightest color of these three 2007s, it also has the most concentration and intensity. Sultry, sexy, brash, exuberant notes of black cherries, raspberries, balsam wood, lavender, and licorice soar from the glass of this garish display of 100% old vine Grenache. Beautifully pure, round, full-bodied, and dense, it is hard to resist at present, but it should evolve easily for 12-15+ years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomFontdeMichelle.aspIWC 95 (2/2010): Glass-staining ruby. Decadent, highly perfumed aromas of black raspberry, kirsch, potpourri and incense, with a smoky undertone. Lush, palate-staining red and dark berry compote flavors are given spine by juicy acidity and gain sweetness and power with air. For a big, weighty wine this is almost shockingly graceful. The finish repeats the dark fruit and smoke notes and leaves spices and minerals behind, eventually. Two-thirds of this cuvee, which had no name when I tasted it from barrel last year and called it "Vieilles Vignes," is from century-old grenache vines in La Crau.JLL ****[*] (12/2008): Stable, quite dark red colour; the aroma is even handed, calm - it is sealed now, but suggests a brooding mix of airs to come. The palate has a firm core, with noticeable tannins, just on the austere side for now. There are good sides to this - it runs securely and its clarity is pretty, The finish is pure; an alert, well-filled wine. From 2011.WA 93 (10/2009): A new offering, the outstanding 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Elegance de Jeanne (only 200 cases produced) was made from 108-year-old Grenache vines grown in the famed eastern Chateauneuf du Pape lieu-dit called La Crau. Although it possesses the lightest color of these three 2007s, it also has the most concentration and intensity. Sultry, sexy, brash, exuberant notes of black cherries, raspberries, balsam wood, lavender, and licorice soar from the glass of this garish display of 100% old vine Grenache. Beautifully pure, round, full-bodied, and dense, it is hard to resist at present, but it should evolve easily for 12-15+ years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomFontdeMichelle.aspWA 93 (8/1996): The 1990 Cuvee des Generations is black/purple-colored, with a closed but promising bouquet of vanillin, smoke, minerals, and blackcurrants. The concentration and length are dazzling in this large-scaled, tannic, blockbuster wine that will last for 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 1998-2014.WS 89 (9/1993): Rich, supple and smooth, with a wonderful band of spicy currant, berry and tobacco aromas and flavors. All of it remains in balance and finishes generous and fleshy. Drinkable now, but should be fine through 2000.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdelaGardine.aspWA 93 (8/1996): The 1990 Cuvee des Generations is black/purple-colored, with a closed but promising bouquet of vanillin, smoke, minerals, and blackcurrants. The concentration and length are dazzling in this large-scaled, tannic, blockbuster wine that will last for 20-25 years. Anticipated maturity: 1998-2014.WS 89 (9/1993): Rich, supple and smooth, with a wonderful band of spicy currant, berry and tobacco aromas and flavors. All of it remains in balance and finishes generous and fleshy. Drinkable now, but should be fine through 2000.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdelaGardine.aspJLL **** (11/2008): Full, plum red; very minty, smoky, burning wood nose – cassis, smoky bacon – it is wide, filled but in no way Over the Top. The palate starts richly, runs decisively, holds intrinsic energy, and is aided by the bustle of its oak. There is richness towards the finish, a feature that alleviates the oak`s relative austerity and upright hold. The aftertaste is tarry. There is potential here, but it`s revealing that the wine still isn`t local. WA 94+ (6/2010): A candidate for one of the most backward wines of the vintage, and still needing probably 8-10 more years of cellaring, the Brunel family tends to make this cuvee to age as well as a top Bordeaux. It is one of the exceptions to the rule in Chateauneuf du Pape. The 1998 has a dark plum/ruby/purple color, with notes of graphite, chocolate, espresso roast, black berry, and cassis. Aromatically, one doesn’t see much Chateauneuf du Pape character, but the oak has been totally absorbed, the wine is full-bodied, and I suspect more and more typicity will evolve as it hits its adolescent state. Forget it for another 3-5 years, as this is a wine capable of lasting 30+ years. WS 94 (12/2000): This is ultra everything--ultrablack, ultrathick, ultrasmooth, ultrabig--but it works. With tar, petrol and superextracted black fruit, it tastes velvety and balanced, not at all heavy or new oakish. Drink now through 2010. 1,080 cases made. RR 92 (2/2008): A stunning bottle, the 1998 Château de la Gardine Châteauneuf-du-Pape is packed with rich black cherry and cassis laced fruit, graphite, smoke and earth aromas. The palate is medium bodied with a smooth, balanced texture, clean, pure fruit and subtle tannins on the long finish. While this is drinking extremely well, I wouldn't be afraid to hold this wine longer either.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChdelaGardine.aspIWC 92 (2/2001): Bright deep ruby. Knockout nose combines blackberry, cassis, violet, pepper, game and roasted oak. Then thick, sweet and fat with dark berry fruit. Finishes with superb length, the ultra-suave tannins spreading out to cover the entire palate.WA 91 (2/2001): Although tannic, the 1998 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places (500 cases produced) is loaded with flavor and potential. From a well-known vineyard on the Cote Brune, this wine was aged in 100% new oak, with malolactic fermentation taking place in barrel. Moreover, it was bottled unfined and unfiltered. A dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by aromas of blackberries, raspberries, cherries, licorice, and charcoal. Dense and full-bodied, with high tannin, it will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 15+ years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JeanMichelGerin.aspIWC 91 (6/2003): (all new barriques) Good medium ruby. Deep, sauvage aromas of black raspberry, violet, gunflint and smoked meat; real essence of Cote-Rotie. Rich, lush, smooth and satisfying; quite full in the mouth, with a suggestion of roasted meats. Finishes with substantial tannins and excellent length. More firmly structured than the Landonne, for drinking later.WA 90 (6/2003): The 2000 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places reveals more graphite, creme de cassis, blackberry, and earthy aromas. With airing, scents of Asian spices and new saddle leather also emerge. Medium-bodied, structured, tannic, and closed but promising, this 2000 will be at its peak between 2007-2015.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JeanMichelGerin.aspIWC 89+ (2/2005): Medium ruby-red. Blackberry, raspberry, pepper, exotic brown spices, woodsmoke and sweet vanillin oak on the nose. More tightly wound today than the Landonne, with reticent but sappy flavors of pepper, spice and menthol. Shows a medicinal austerity and comes across as drier today than the Landonne, but there's plenty of verve and texture here. Shows a strong element of caramelly oak through to the finish. This will need a good four or five years of patience.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JeanMichelGerin.aspWS 94 (11/2008): Captivating aromas of crushed plum, Lapsang souchong tea, fig paste and Kenya AA coffee lead into a ripe but supersilky palate all framed by suave tannins. The long, beguiling finish has great underlying grip. Best from 2010 through 2025. 500 cases made. IWC 92+ (2/2008): Deep red. Ripe dark berries and fresh violet on the nose, with complicating notes of Asian spices and minerals. Taut, sharply focused cassis and bitter cherry flavors are underscored and freshened by bright acidity, with firm tannins clamping down on the sappy finish. More reserved than last year's showing, but no less impressive.WA 91+ (2/2008): Dark ruby/purple with notes of truffle oil, roasted meat, black fruits, and scorched earth, the 2005 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places is the pick of the litter. From a vineyard planted on pure schist, which renders a Graves-like earthiness to the wine, this wine is smoky, deep, chewy, rustic, but saved by its beautiful fruit purity. This beauty should hit its prime in 3 years, and drink well for 12-15.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/JeanMichelGerin.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomainelesGoubert.aspWS 87 (10/1997): Very polished, with a bounty of toasted oak, spice, mocha and coffee flavors accented by currant, black cherry, floral and mineral notes. Fairly balanced, and quite delicious now through 2000.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomainelesGoubert.aspRR 92 (4/2009): Reminiscent of the ‘01 Cuvée Florence, the 1995 Domaine les Goubert Gigondas Cuvée Florence possesses fantastic aromatics of dried cherries, spice box, peppered meat and licorice. Beautifully ripe with nice complexity, the palate is medium to full bodied with a core of sweet fruit, a smooth, rich texture, impressive balance and a long finish. This has serious fruit density on the palate paired with mouth numbing, ripe, fine grained tannins on the finish and while a beautiful drink now, has a long life ahead of it. WA 92 (10/1997): The superb 1995 Gigondas Cuvee Florence boasts a blockbuster nose of pain grille, violets, flowers, blackberries, and kirsch. Full-bodied, super-concentrated, extremely pure and unevolved, this opaque purple-colored wine is just hinting at its overall potential. The wine possesses brilliant balance, sweet tannin, enough acidity to provide vibrancy and uplift, and a finish that lasts for 30+ seconds. There is some tannin to be resolved, but this large-scaled, beautiful Cuvee Florence is the finest Jean-Pierre Cartier has made since his sensational 1985 (which I last drank in July, 1997, and still rated it 91 points). The 1995 should be at its best between 2001-2017.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomainelesGoubert.aspJLL **** (11/2008): Evolving red-black colour. There is snap in the black fruit aroma - still youthful blackberry, and a sympa, fresh, slight eucalyptus air about it. The palate black fruits have a close-knit composition, while a live thread which is typical of the 1999 clarity runs through it. Menthol and licorice combine at the end, impart freshness. Has tannin, plus oak, so is still making its way. Herbal traces on the aftertaste. Interesting wine. "I now put this ahead of 1998, unlike earlier." J-P Cartier. WA 89 (12/2001): Impressive is the 1999 Gigondas Cuvee Florence. Its dark plum/ruby color is accompanied by big, sweet, smoky, black currant aromatics with notions of new oak. Medium to full-bodied, soft, and round, it will provide excellent drinking over the next decade. IWC 87 (1/2002): Full red-ruby. Oaky nose dominated by musky coffee and bitter chocolate. Silky, sweet and pliant on the palate, with strong oak notes of coffee, vanilla and nuts. Finishes with fairly smooth tannins and a bit of tarry oak. Quite supple but very oaky.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomainelesGoubert.aspRR 92 (4/2009): The 2001 Domaine les Goubert Gigondas Cuvée Florence is aged half in new oak and half in one year old barrels and possesses a perfumed and subtle bouquet of spiced cherries, licorice, spice box and Turkish coffee aromas that lead into a medium to full bodied palate. Smooth, integrated and balanced, this has beautiful freshness and acidity, a silky texture and a long finish. While the barrique aging is still apparent, it complements rather than detracts. Drinking well now, everything points to this aging beautifully.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomainelesGoubert.aspWA 88-90 (12/2004): The soft, fruity, plump 2003 Gigondas Cuvee Florence possesses medium to full body, and a sexy, seductive, forward style with low acidity, nicely integrated wood, and loads of black currant, kirsch, white flower, and smoke characteristics. Enjoy this generous, well-concentrated 2003 over the next decade.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomainelesGoubert.aspWA 96 (10/2009): The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Origines (50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah aged in small new oak barrels) is somewhat of an anomaly with such an amount of new oak, but it never seems to show given the wine-s concentration and richness. This may be the estate-s finest example of this cuvee, which generally represents 1,200-1,500 cases, all from their holdings in the northern sector of the appellation. A saturated purple color is accompanied by aromas of smoke, camphor, creme de cassis, licorice, and blueberries, amazing concentration, a full-bodied texture, and a stunningly long finish. The tannins are present, but silky, and the vintage-s freshness and vibrant fruit are evident. Powerful and loaded with substance, but at the same time endearingly elegant and ethereal, it will benefit from another 2-3 years of bottle age, and should drink well for 15+.RR 95 (8/2009): Very pure and clean with lots of fruit, the 2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines is a structured, deep wine that needs a couple years in the cellar. Cassis and blackberry fruit aromas are intermixed with lead pencil, smoke, mineral and subtle vanilla notes. Very concentrated with serious edge, density and cut, this fleshes out on the finish nicely. JLL **** (11/2009): Bright, dark robe. Good spherical nose - attractive black fruit, minor and agreeable sweetness, has depth, is young, ends with a bosky snap. Charming blackberry fruit on the palate - well-balanced, pretty length. This is nice and wholesome, its fruit well-defined. It drinks now. The end is quite fresh, shows some tannic support there. Not a head banger, a measured 2007, thank goodness - the Mourvedre has played its 2007 role well. WS 92 (8/2009): Solid, with a mix of red and black currant fruit held together with notes of pastis, licorice and violet. A good dash of grip on the finish keeps this honest. Opens nicely in the glass. Drink now through 2019. 3,000 cases made.IWC 90+ (2/2010): (50% grenache, 30% syrah and 20% mourvedre) Glass-staining violet. Showing a lot of oak on the nose, along with deep raspberry and blackberry scents and a smoky mineral quality. Lush, creamy and rich in the mouth, with sweet red and dark berry compote flavors, slow-building tannins and serious finishing punch. This sexy fruit bomb will be even better if the oakiness recedes with some bottle age.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomGrandVeneur.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduGrosPata.aspWA 98 (12/2011): Perhaps the finest example of this cuvee Guigal has yet made, the 2010 Condrieu La Doriane flirts with perfection. Profoundly intense with abundant notes reminiscent of caramelized oranges, lychee nuts, apricots, spring flowers and a liqueur of wet rocks, this superb, full-bodied, rich Condrieu possesses slightly higher acids than the 2009. It should keep for 5-10 years.JLL ***** (12/2011): Yellow, full robe; good, filled nose, has a pretty, rolling intensity offering vanilla, a touch of flowers, smoky pear. The palate is well-textured – there is a solid build to this, while spicy, toasty new oak emerges at the end. It is only just starting out, is closely packed. It has more movement than the more static classic 2010 Condrieu here, has more tingle. It has a gradual firm underscore. The finish is compact, firm. Meaty wine that will live. Decant this. From 2013-14.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspIWC 92 (2/2003): Bright ruby-red. Superripe, expressive aromas of raspberry, coffee, roasted herbs and pepper; shows a slightly porty surmaturite. Rich, round and lush; a wonderfully ripe and full-blown yet fresh wine with substantial, solid tannins and superb persistence. This has a lot of all the key elements, including acidity. A superb vintage for this wine - and there are more than 27,000 cases of this stuff! WA 89 (6/2003): The 1999 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde (25,000 cases) includes 5% Viognier in the blend. It is a fragrant, soft, medium-bodied effort revealing notes of violets, licorice, and jammy cherry as well as currant fruit presented in a sweet, medium to full-bodied style. Seductive and lush, it is impossible to resist. Consume it over the next 10-12 years.WS 88 (8/2002): Lovely. Both elegant and intense. Medium-bodied, with floral, red berry and mineral notes. Subtle and fruity finish, with smooth tannins, but the intense finish suggests it might improve with age. Drink now through 2006. 25,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspIWC 92 (2/2003): Bright ruby-red. Superripe, expressive aromas of raspberry, coffee, roasted herbs and pepper; shows a slightly porty surmaturite. Rich, round and lush; a wonderfully ripe and full-blown yet fresh wine with substantial, solid tannins and superb persistence. This has a lot of all the key elements, including acidity. A superb vintage for this wine - and there are more than 27,000 cases of this stuff! WA 89 (6/2003): The 1999 Cote Rotie Brune et Blonde (25,000 cases) includes 5% Viognier in the blend. It is a fragrant, soft, medium-bodied effort revealing notes of violets, licorice, and jammy cherry as well as currant fruit presented in a sweet, medium to full-bodied style. Seductive and lush, it is impossible to resist. Consume it over the next 10-12 years.WS 88 (8/2002): Lovely. Both elegant and intense. Medium-bodied, with floral, red berry and mineral notes. Subtle and fruity finish, with smooth tannins, but the intense finish suggests it might improve with age. Drink now through 2006. 25,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspJLL ***** (12/2004): Dark; varied nose, cassis jam/spice/leather/prune. Tight attack, excellent core, big scale. Many mineral, cooked fruit prompts, intense middle. Good, long regional, heated end. From 2004.WA 92 (6/1996): The 1992 La Landonne is dense, savage, and animal-like. Made from a vineyard on the steep hillside on the Cote Brune, this dark ruby/purple-colored wine reveals copious quantities of sweet black fruits in the nose intermingled with Asian spices, roasted herbs, and grilled steak. Medium- to full-bodied, powerful, and rich, with some noticeable tannin, this wine is approachable because of its low acidity. It has turned out to be another exceptional example of La Landonne. Drink it over the next 15 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspWS 94 (10/2006): Slightly firm at first, but then almost gushes with pure, silky raspberry fruit, followed by notes of iron, tobacco and semisweet chocolate. Beautifully done. Drink now through 2021. 665 cases made.WA 90-93 (2/2006): The star of the 2002 La La’s is the 2002 Cote Rotie La Landonne. Aromas of burning embers, scorched earth, truffles, and black cherries are followed by an unexpectedly deep, rich wine that is best consumed over the next 12-15 years. JLL *** (1/2007): Some darkness in the red; gamey, stewed berry nose with an oaked backdrop, furniture varnish, wax elements. Brisk berry fruit on attack, comes directly and lacks the usual stuffing. Doesn`t achieve width on the late palate. Length is fair, so expect a gradual evolution for the better. Esp 2009 on.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspWA 90 (12/1991): The 1986 La Landonne is an outstanding wine, though it lacks the magical perfume of La Mouline and the indescribable, riveting character of La Turque. It is more tannic and amply endowed, but among the splendid La Landonnes made during the eighties, the 1986 does not possess the size or intensity of the greatest vintages (1989, 1988, 1985, 1983, and 1982). Anticipated maturity: now-2009.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspIWC 96 (2/2011): Vivid red. Black raspberry, blood orange and Asian spices on the expressive, hypnotically perfumed nose. Juicy, focused and floral, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors, a strong note of floral pastilles and a firm mineral underpinning. Finishes with superb focus and length, showing remarkable freshness and lingering minerality. WS 95 (9/2010): Really perfumy and alluring, with espresso, sandalwood and black tea notes all mingling together, while velvety crushed plum, fig and blackberry fruit glides in behind them. Hints of mesquite and iron play out on the well-integrated finish. Accessible, but will cellar easily too. Best from 2011 through 2032. 415 cases made.WA 94 (2/2011): The 2006 Cote Rotie La Mouline displays fragrant aromas of forest floor, bacon fat, spring flowers, cassis and black raspberries. Always the sexiest, most supple and elegant of the three single vineyard Cote Roties, the 2006 is no exception. Full-bodied, dense and delicious, it should continue to drink well for 10-15 years. JLL ****[*] (7/2010): Bright, full red; careful bouquet, not really out, reflects oak and tight red, fresh fruits and also shows a grounded, earthy air. Vanilla flavour, a woven wine with oak prominent – this is more strict than many Moulines. The fruit is typically red, the palate upright and tight. Ends on oak. Bottled end Jan 2010. From 2013-14. “It has a nervous side, and is not an easy drinking Mouline – it`s one of character,” Philippe Guigal.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspWS 94 (11/1995): Very firm and still young. The toasty, spicy oak flavors are beautifully balanced by lush berry and plum notes. Delicious now, it should improve through 2000.WA 91 (4/1995): The 1986 La Mouline displays its characteristic exotic aroma of smoky oak, bacon fat, and spring flowers, which is followed by layer upon layer of opulent black fruits. The color is still very dark purple, with some lightening at the edge. There is more tannin and olive-flavored fruit than one normally finds in La Mouline. For a difficult vintage, this wine is remarkable. Anticipated maturity: now-2004.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspRR 97 (3/2011): Masculine and burly, the 2006 E. Guigal Côte-Rôtie La Turque is an absolutely stunning effort that delivers explosive aromas of rusted iron, blood, and crushed rock that are supported by smoky, meaty dark fruits. Ripe and concentrated on the palate, with full bodied power and depth, perfect balance, and huge underlying structure and tannin the comes through on the finish, this is actually approachable now given the level of fruit and texture; however, this needs 8-10 years bottle age, and should drink well for decades! WS 96 (9/2010): This pulls together grip, minerality and fruit, with charcoal and espresso laying the foundation for crushed plum, fig sauce and mulled currant fruit, which then gives way to a vibrant, iron- and tobacco-filled finish that leaves a mouthwatering feel. Very impressive. Best from 2011 through 2030. 400 cases made.JLL ***** (7/2010): Full red robe; crunchy, chocolate-style aroma, black raisin present – has a full foundation, is broad and potentially classy. This has a fine texture, with plenty of interior matter, is just making its way, ends on a pebbly note. There is definite intensity in the black fruit. The oak on the finish needs 3 years to assimilate, and sticks out for now. WA 94 (2/2011): The 2006 Cote Rotie La Turque’s dark purple/plum hue is similar to La Mouline’s, but with slightly more opaqueness. A denser, but seemingly less complex style of wine, it offers notes of animal fat, creme de cassis, charcoal and new saddle leather in its full-bodied, ripe, rich personality. This 2006 will benefit from 2-4 more years of bottle age and drink well for 25-30 years thereafter. IWC 94 (2/2011): Bright ruby. Pungent dark berry and cherry-vanilla aromas are complemented by anise, pipe tobacco and black cardamom. Smoky cherry and blackcurrant flavors are deep and nicely focused, with building tannins and a seductively sweet quality. Shows more power than the La Mouline but less finesse. Finishes on a lively, bittersweet cherry note, with outstanding persistence and lingering elements of spice and smoke.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspWA 92 (11/1995): The fully mature 1986 La Turque has a bouquet of smoke, new saddle leather, roasted herbs, meat, and sweet, jammy black fruit. Medium- to full-bodied, ripe, and intense, without the colossal richness of the finest vintages, this still youthful wine should continue to age well. Anticipated maturity: now-2006.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/EtienneGuigal.aspWA 96 (6/2000): This fabulous, blockbuster has been totally unevolved since bottling, but at the Jaboulet tasting, it was beginning to reveal some of its formidable potential. A saturated opaque purple color is followed by aromas of cassis, minerals, and hot bricks/wood fire. Super-ripe and full-bodied, with a massive mid-section, teeth-staining extract, and mouth-searing tannin, it is a monster-sized La Chapelle. Anticipated maturity: 2010-2050. WS 93 (8/1991): Jam-packed with ripe, rich plum, currant, black cherry and anise flavors that turn to chocolate and toast on the finish. A beautifully focused, deeply concentrated wine that combines power with finesse. Drink now through 2000.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PaulJabouletAine.aspWA 100 (6/2000): The 1990 La Chapelle is the sexy and opulent. I had the 1990 at the Jaboulet tasting, and again out of a double magnum three months ago. On both occasions it was spectacular, clearly meriting a three-digit score. The modern day equivalent of the 1961, it deserves all the attention it has garnered. The color remains an opaque purple, with only a slight pink at the edge. Spectacular aromatics offer up aromas of incense, smoke, blackberry fruit, cassis, barbecue spice, coffee, and a touch of chocolate. As it sits in the glass, additional nuances of pepper and grilled steak emerge. There is extraordinary freshness for such a mammoth wine in addition to abundant tannin, an amazing 60-second finish, and a level of glycerin and thick, fleshy texture that have to be tasted to be believed. Despite its youthfulness, the 1990 La Chapelle is lovely to drink, although it will be even better with another 5-6 years of cellaring; it should age for 35-40+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2050http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PaulJabouletAine.aspWA 100 (6/2000): The 1990 La Chapelle is the sexy and opulent. I had the 1990 at the Jaboulet tasting, and again out of a double magnum three months ago. On both occasions it was spectacular, clearly meriting a three-digit score. The modern day equivalent of the 1961, it deserves all the attention it has garnered. The color remains an opaque purple, with only a slight pink at the edge. Spectacular aromatics offer up aromas of incense, smoke, blackberry fruit, cassis, barbecue spice, coffee, and a touch of chocolate. As it sits in the glass, additional nuances of pepper and grilled steak emerge. There is extraordinary freshness for such a mammoth wine in addition to abundant tannin, an amazing 60-second finish, and a level of glycerin and thick, fleshy texture that have to be tasted to be believed. Despite its youthfulness, the 1990 La Chapelle is lovely to drink, although it will be even better with another 5-6 years of cellaring; it should age for 35-40+ years. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2050http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PaulJabouletAine.aspWA 94 (2/2003): The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Chaupin is the most voluptuous, sexy offering in the Janasse portfolio. It's the Brigitte Bardot of Chateauneuf du Pape ... full-bodied, rich, and sexy. A sweet, expansive perfume of red and black fruits is followed by a wine of great purity and balance displaying a surprising combination of fat, power, and elegance. Already delicious because of its low acidity as well as its expansive, ripe fruit, it will drink well for 12-15 years. Don't miss this one as it may be even more generous and sexy than the 1998.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaJanasse.aspWA 94 (2/2003): The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Chaupin is the most voluptuous, sexy offering in the Janasse portfolio. It's the Brigitte Bardot of Chateauneuf du Pape ... full-bodied, rich, and sexy. A sweet, expansive perfume of red and black fruits is followed by a wine of great purity and balance displaying a surprising combination of fat, power, and elegance. Already delicious because of its low acidity as well as its expansive, ripe fruit, it will drink well for 12-15 years. Don't miss this one as it may be even more generous and sexy than the 1998.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaJanasse.aspRR 98 (8/2009): Absolutely stunning, the 2007 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin is packed with pure, clean and fresh aromas of assorted dark fruits, blackberry, lavender, flowers and spice. On the palate, it’s full bodied with beautifully sweet fruit ripe, fine grained tannins, perfect balance and a finish that simply won’t quite. This has the fruit to drink well young but the structure to age for 20 years. WA 98 (10/2009): Made from 100% Grenache (60- to 80-year-old vines) aged largely in neutral oak foudres with a small amount in new barrels, the inky/ruby/purple-hued 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is the greatest example of this offering since the 1998, but it is even more concentrated than that wine. A cold terroir and sandy/clay soils have given the wine an extraordinary amount of acidity and freshness that serve it well in buttressing the fabulously concentrated, massively extracted, old vine Grenache. This blockbuster wine possesses enormous richness and density as well as an incredibly unevolved, young personality. Everything is there, including awesome aromatics, unbelievable layers of kirsch, raspberries, licorice, incense, and blacker fruits, and a finish that goes on for close to a minute. However, I would age this wine for 2-4 years and drink it over the following two decades or more. It is a tour de force in old vine Grenache as well as one of the vintage’s most compelling wines. JLL ****[*] (11/2008): (Casks) Dark robe; the nose is intense by design – here are black fruits, polished leather, game and a little crème de menthe: it is oily and scaled up. The palate hides its robust nature under a feather eiderdown that gets in under the radar. It ends on some potency, with an overt black fruit liqueur there. It is woven with late tannin, licorice and oak. A manly wine that stands up well. From 2011. IWC 94 (2/2010): Opaque ruby. Spicy raspberry and cherry aromas are complicated by garrigue and Asian spices. Sweet, focused red fruit flavors are given spine by zesty minerality and pick up an exotic floral quality with air. Expands nicely on the finish, leaving behind sweet lavender pastille and raspberry notes.WS 94 (11/2009): Plush and fleshy, with crushed plum, dark currant and boysenberry notes backed by alluring sweet spice, licorice root and espresso hints. Muscular but well-rounded on the lengthy finish, with the spice notes flittering on. Best from 2010 through 2024. 1,732 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaJanasse.aspWA 97+ (2/2006): One of the vintage’s most compelling wines, the huge, dense purple-colored 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes offers aromas of creme de cassis, creosote, and flowers along with immense concentration, body, and tannin. The finish is reminiscent of a first-growth Bordeaux, meaning it is well-delineated and tannic. Cellar it for 4-5 years and consume it over the following two decades. RR 96 (4/2008): The 2003 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is just packed with raspberry liqueur, plums, graphite and licorice notes and with air, subtle spice and garrigue aromas start to show up. Full bodied with fantastic levels of fruit, this is impeccably balanced, seamless and long with gobs of underlying structure and fine grained, ripe tannins on the monster finish. Damn thing is drinking so well, this is my second bottle inside of a month... here's to hoping I can keep my hands off my sole remaining bottle for a least a year or two.WS 96 (10/2005): Gorgeous raspberry ganache and spice aromas give way to richly layered but silky smooth notes of boysenberry, blackberry, mocha, mineral and tar. Long, pure beam of fruit resonates through the finish. Fantastic purity and finesse for the vintage. Best from 2007 through 2025. 1,200 cases made. IWC 95 (2/2006): Saturated dark red. Explosively aromatic, highly complex nose offers kirsch, raspberry liqueur, blueberry, tarragon, baking spices, smoked meat, espresso and hot asphalt. Lush and hefty but suave, with rich flavors of sweet dark berries, framboise, candied chocolate and licorice that build and deepen with aeration. A brisk mineral note keeps the fruit in check and adds focus and lift to the knockout, silky finish.JLL **** (7/2005): Very round, suave, unctuous wine. Great charm on bouquet, floral elements, with also a meaty, brooding side. Has a rich, southern feel, very good density. Length sound. Round, sustained and persistent wine, aftertaste is herbal, then tannins, white pepper effect arrives.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaJanasse.aspWA 100 (10/2009): The perfect 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (tasted on four separate occasions) is composed of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre and other authorized varietals from 60- to 100+-year-old vines. The wine is aged in both tank (75%) and small oak barrels (25%). Its inky/purple color is followed by a phenomenal nose of spring flowers, creme de cassis, blackberries, boysenberries, licorice, truffles, and spice. Displaying massive body, incredible freshness, laser-like focus from the excellent acids, and a finish that goes on well past a minute, this prodigious Chateauneuf du Pape is the most extraordinary wine yet made at this estate. While accessible (as most 2007s are), ideally it needs 4-5 years of cellaring, and should keep for three decades.WS 96 (11/2009): This is awash in fruit—plum, boysenberry, fig and blackberry—all seamlessly intertwined, while hints of graphite, melted licorice, black tea and violet fill the available space. The long finish has great latent grip. Best from 2010 through 2030. 1,416 cases made.IWC 96 (2/2010): Inky purple. Hypnotic bouquet of dark berries, flowers and spices complicated by black olive, sandalwood and star anise. Lush, creamy and liqueur-like in its depth and sweetness, offering palate-enveloping boysenberry and blueberry flavors and exotic floral pastille and spicecake qualities. Fine-grained tannins add grip and focus to an endless sweet, floral aftertaste.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaJanasse.aspWS 94 (10/2006): Terrific, with exotic plum and fig fruit that verges on overripe, but is quickly harnessed by bacony toast, tangy iron and black olive notes. The long, dark, coffee bean-filled finish has sauvage hints in the background. Great grip, thanks to superb acidity. The vintage character amps up the terroir. Drink now through 2021. 150 cases imported. IWC 91 (2/2006): Inky dark purple. Cassis, blackberry, dark plum, crystallized violet and lavender perfume on the heady nose. Enormously concentrated and rich, with deep black and redcurrant flavors framed by strong but harmonious tannins. The most powerful and strikingly concentrated wine I've ever had from Levet. "This vintage is impossible to compare to any other," says Levet. "It's one of a kind."http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/BernardLevet.aspWA 91 (2/2006): I had high hopes that the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes would score in the low to mid-90s out of bottle, but no such luck. Nevertheless, this is an outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape and certainly a fine value. Deep ruby/plum/garnet with a wonderfully sweet and flamboyant nose of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper, and garrigue, the wine has a beautiful texture, full body, notes of plum, fig, and licorice, and a heady, glycerin-imbued finish. It is already delicious, but does not possess the extraordinary depth I thought it would. Nevertheless, it is seductive and best drunk over the next 7-8 years.IWC 91 (2/2006): Medium red color. The juicy, bright aromas of jammy raspberry, gingerbread, molasses, cured meat and mocha build and gain in sweetness in the glass. Distinctly wild on the palate, showing flavors of strawberry, aged beef and espresso. Fresh, vibrant and long on the finish, which features finely integrated tannins and a note of tobacco.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomLaMilliere.aspJLL ****[*] (3/2011): Pretty red robe; red plum, quietly spiced, baked fruits aroma - the bouquet has discreet muscle and reserves. There are smoky, cigarette ash airs, along with baked cherry. Good dash of early fruit on the palate, which runs with energy and drive, and ends on complete notes, full tannins with some clarity in them. It lingers on the aftertaste - thorough matter there. It is juicy enough towards the finish. Decant if drinking now. From late 2012. "Good balance, and less heaviness than 2009," Paul Jeune.RR 93 (9/2011): The 2007 Domaine Monpertuis (Paul Jeune) Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a classic wine that’s a blend of 85% Grenache, and the rest a mix of other varieties, that’s all aged in foudre. It displays a complex, beautifully traditional bouquet of garrigue, lavender, big spice cabinet, flowers, and sweet cherry and raspberry fruit on the nose. This leads to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, impressively balanced wine that has racy acidity, a focused yet rich texture, and solid length on the finish. Straight-up delicious and just a joy to drink, this should continue to shine for 12-15 years. IWC 93 (2/2010): (70% grenache, 15% mourvedre, 10% syrah and 5% cinsault) Vivid ruby. Fresh red and black fruits, blood orange, minerals, rose and smoky garrigue on the nose. Juicy, spicy and expansive, with explosive inner-mouth perfume and superb intensity to the sweet raspberry and cherry flavors. Really classic Chateauneuf, with strong lingering sweetness and spiciness and zero rough edges. But there's also a weightless quality here that belies the long, warm growing season. This has the freshness and balance to age for a long time.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMonpertuis.aspRR 97 (3/2011): Formerly known as the "Cuvee Tradition" and made only in top vintages, the 2007 Domaine Monpertuis Châteauneuf-du-Pape Secret de Gabriel is mostly (85%) very old vine Grenache - no destemming - that’s aged in a combination of small and large barrel for just under two years. Utterly captivating on the nose, the wine exudes class and finesse, showing black cherry liqueur and darker styled fruits that are supported by crushed stone, graphite, grilled meats, and licorice aromas and flavors. Medium to full bodied on the palate, with phenomenal precision and focus, solid concentration, and ultra fine tannin structure, the wine glides across the palate with a seamless, airy profile and character. Finesse, purity, and focus are the buzzwords here and while it doesn’t have the sheer size of some of the other top cuvees, its impeccable integration sets it apart and it will shine in any lineup. A joy to drink now with about an hour or two of air (I followed this bottle over 2 days and it was as good on the second day as the first), this needs 3 to 5 years in the cellar and should drink well for 2 decades. Bravo! JLL ***** (3/2011): Full, bright plum robe. Really deep, probing nose, has a steady, increasing depth, hooks in slight black raisin airs, is really layered and full. The palate is well founded, grounded. Has black raisin, spice and prune flavours - is a complete, rather traditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape, with steady, serious length and a gradual gain in glow. The finale is complete. A wine of no excess - it has a lot of good, understated but complete qualities.IWC 95 (2/2010): Saturated red. Expansive, hugely aromatic bouquet of raspberry, mulberry, allspice, smoked meat and minerals, with a strong floral quality that gains strength with air. Deeply concentrated but surprisingly lithe and precise, offering sweet red berry and cherry preserve flavors and notes of licorice and rose pastilles. The finish is spicy, focused and extremely persistent, with a zesty mineral element adding lift and cut. This is the wine formerly known as Tradition, and is based on grenache vines planted in the late 19th century.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMonpertuis.aspWA 98+ (10/2009): The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape La Cuvee du Papet may will turn out to be their finest example since the 1998 and 1990. Stylistically, it probably comes closest to resembling the legendary 1990. Notes of roasted meats and smoked duck, with Provencal herbs, truffle, incense, licorice, and pepper, are all there, plus enormous quantities of red and black fruits. This is one heck of a complex wine, with a bouquet that is the essence of southern France, in particular Provence. Full-bodied, powerful, with the glycerin and level of richness covering some lofty tannins, this wine is already accessible and nearly impossible to resist, but my instincts suggest it will be absolutely glorious in another 4-5 years and keep for 15-20. RR 97 (3/2012): Absolutely prodigious, the 2007 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Cuvée du Papet (70% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah) is showing even more impressive than on release, with gorgeous aromas of blackberry liqueur, ground pepper, nori, lavender, wild herbs, and cured meats that soar from the glass. Opening up over the evening and brilliantly complex on the nose, this full-bodied Châteauneuf-du-Pape is layered, rich, and yet elegant on the palate, boasting a decadent, concentrated mid-palate, voluptuous levels of fruit, and a classic, structured finish. Not heavy or cumbersome in the least, this blockbuster, traditional 2007 is approachable now, yet should be even better in 2-4 years, and have upwards of two decades of ultimate longevity. JLL ***** (11/2008): Mostly dark red robe; the aroma reflects red berries such as raspberry that are ripe and in a liqueur form – there is a softly mulled fruits sweetness about it. This is pretty broad, and there is good curve in the fruit. The palate starts with attractive Grenache fruit, followed by a pretty mid-palate caress – the fruit is indeed elegant. The finish is clear and rounded, harmonious all through. The balance is good – this is pretty Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a w.o.w. wine. It ends on minor oaking. From 2011. WS 96 (12/2009): Remarkably dense, but silky at the same time, with captivating mouthfeel to the layer upon layer of roasted black Mission fig, sandalwood, black tea, macerated currant fruit and plum sauce, all held together by finely beaded acidity. Latent grip shows up at the very end, boding well for long-term cellaring. Best from 2010 through 2030. 1,000 cases made. IWC 95 (2/2010): (vinified with 50% whole clusters) Bright ruby. Exotic, seductively perfumed bouquet of raspberry, mulberry, incense, dried flowers and spicecake. Lush, chewy dark fruit flavors envelop the palate, with juicy acidity adding definition and back-end cut. At once rich and energetic, finishing with excellent thrust and lingering spiciness. Sabon said that he prefers this to his 2005 version now and for the near to mid term. "The '05 needs to be forgotten for a long, long time," he told me.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosduMontOlivet.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChDeMontfaucon.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChDeMontfaucon.aspRR 98+ (8/2009): One of the most backward and tannic wines of the vintage, the 2007 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois is jam packed with blackberry, cassis and raspberry fruit, meat, roasted herbs and smoke aromas. Dense, crazy rich and endowed, the palate is full bodied with a stunning texture, perfect balance, massive extract, serious concentration and fantastic length. If the fruit wasn’t so dense, I’d worry about all of the structure here but this pulls it off. Hide these in the cellar for 5 to 7 years and then drink over the following 25+. WA 96+ (10/2009): Not surprisingly, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reine des Bois is another prodigious offering from this estate. A blend of 80% Grenache and the rest equal parts Mourvedre, Syrah, Counoise, and Vacarrese, it was aged 50% in stainless steel tanks and 50% in small oak barrels. The result is an inky/blue/purple-colored wine displaying a formidable nose of graphite, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, cherries, licorice, and violets. Full-bodied with exquisite depth, impressive purity, and a multilayered, sumptuous finish with moderate tannin, its purity, freshness, vibrancy, and precision are exceptional. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following two decades.WS 96 (8/2009): Stunning in its combination of density, purity and elegance. There's plenty of dark fig, cassis, pastis and crushed plum fruit, along with melted licorice, ganache and black tea notes. But the texture is supple, the tannins silky and the finish long and beguiling. Harnesses the precociousness of the vintage with true depth and length. Best from 2010 through 2030. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 1,680 cases made.IWC 93-96 (2/2009): Inky ruby. The nose offers a highly complex, wild array of dark berry and floral scents, along with anise, herbs and smoky minerals. Utterly stains the palate with deep black and blue fruit flavors complemented by strong notes of lavender pastille and tobacco. Tannins come up with air but the fruit seems to suck them up. Finishes with a strong wallop of luscious blueberry and mocha and outstanding persistence. This looks to be one of the best wines of this superb vintage.JLL ***[*] (11/2008): (from vat) Dark red, purple robe; has a clam, expansive aroma - red fruits, redcurrants here - with some ballast or depth. It is all very primary now, but has scope with snap and grilling present, too. The palate gets off to a soaked red cherries or griottes start; there are juicy red fruits in this. It has plenty of agreeable richness and a fairly wide finale, with pockets of tannin there. The length is sound. A sure fire purchase that will please its buyers.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaMordoree.aspRR 93 (8/2010): A top 2008, the Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois bottling offers superb balance and an overall elegant, fresh character. The wine is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah, 2.5% Counoise and 2.5% Vaccarèse that’s aged half in oak, of which only 12% is new, and half in tank. Raspberry, spice, licorice, and subtle roasted meats are present on the nose and lead to a medium bodied, mid-weight palate. Very classy and focused, the wine has ultra fine tannin adding length on the finish. This will drink well over the next 10 to 15 years. While this is without a doubt made in the Mordorée style of pure, polished and rich fruit, it’s very elegant and streamlined as opposed to a wine of power and impact. Tasted twice. IWC 92 (4/2011): Deep ruby. A pungent but reticent nose displays cherry, blackcurrant and notes of cracked pepper and licorice. Then sappy and expansive in the mouth, offering powerful dark fruit flavors complicated by smoky Indian spices. This is far from your average 2008 in style. Boasts impressive texture and concentration and finishes with very good thrust and clarity. WA 91 (10/2010): One of the top wines of the vintage is the 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois. Made from a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah and the rest equal parts Counoise and Vacarrese, the wine is aged in two-thirds stainless steel tanks and one-third in small barrels. This strong effort is already delicious, which gives it somewhat of an advantage over other great vintages which often need 5-8 years of cellaring. A dark plum/ruby color is followed by an attractive nose of raspberries, licorice, black currants and kirsch. Evolved, complex and silky smooth, this full-bodied, impressive 2008 should be drunk during its first decade of life. WS 91 (8/2010): Quite ripe and well-rounded for the vintage, with flattering blueberry, blackberry and fig paste notes liberally laced with spice, toast and fruitcake flavors. The long, toasty finish is dense, with a lightly firm edge. Drink now through 2022. 2,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaMordoree.aspWA 95 (10/2011): The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois is brilliant. A blend of 80% Grenache and the rest Mourvedre, Syrah and other approved varietals, it was aged in stainless steel (two-thirds) and smaller older barrels (one-third). Its inky purple color is followed by a gorgeous nose of blackberry and blueberry liqueur, lead pencil shavings, and a hint of raspberries. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated with abundant floral notes, stunning flavor depth, brilliant purity and sweet tannin, it will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age (atypical for a 2009), and should drink well for 25+ years. JLL ****[*] (10/2010): Full red, purple, good robe. The nose complements the robe - it is suave, all together, offers sleek and civilised red cherry, stone fruit, with vanilla pod in it - it is gracious, and floats well. The palate is also in the vein of a well-shaped wine, with poise in its fruit. It is shade international for now, but is bright and clear, its power wrapped in well, just gives a late glow, along with some oak. Very fine wine that will be more local from 2016 onwards. From 2013.RR 94-97 (8/2010): Tasted from both barrel and tank, the 2009 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de la Reine des Bois looks to be exceptional. Delivering the expected dark fruited profile, there’s huge minerality present as well as smoky earth and a touch of coffee. Exceptionally rich on the nose, the wine is medium to full bodied on the palate with super clean, thick fruit, gorgeous balance, and a very long finish. Christophe compares the ‘09 vintage to a blend of ’01 and the ’05. This will be a long-lived wine and will benefit from at least 5 to 7 years in the cellar. IWC 92-94 (4/2011): Bright violet. Exhilarating, highly perfumed nose combines wild dark berries, smoky plum, cola and flowers. Impressively dense and sweet, with a surprising light touch to the intense black and red fruit flavors. A lively core of ripe acidity adds focus to a long, sappy finish. I really like this wine's blend of heft and finesse.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaMordoree.aspRR 92+ (6/2011): An even split of 100% de-stemmed Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre, the 2009 Domaine de la Mordorée Lirac Cuvée de la Reine des Bois is aged 30% in oak barrels and the rest in stainless steel tank. It is an overall elegant, fresh wine that shines more for its balance and poise than for power and richness. Aromas of sweet black cherry and raspberry like fruits drive the aromatics, with supporting notes of crushed flowers, licorice, garrigue, and serious mineral and chalky nuances coming through more with air. These lead to a beautifully balanced wine that is medium to full bodied and possesses a polished, silky texture, fresh acidity, and ultra fine tannin structure that comes through more on the finish. Slightly understated now, I think this will benefit and fill in from 1-2 years in the cellar, and should drink well for 8-10 years. Balance, purity, and poise are the buzzwords here. JLL **** (3/2011): Full robe; pepper-spice, good and decisive nose with a pretty underlay of cherry, black fruits. Tasty and wholesome wine - I can dine off this, has sex appeal, good fruit and also moves along well. Bright late tannins, good length. Very good, the late palate is wide. Licorice on the finish. From 2012, but it drinks vigorously now - this will get any dinner party going.WS 91 (6/2011): Ripe but very pure, exhibiting a beautiful mix of damson plum, linzer torte and blackberry fruit all laced with alluring notes of black tea and iron. This is supple on the finish, but with latent length. Should be a good, short-term ager. Seems less reliant on flashy toast than previous vintages. Drink now through 2012. 1,800 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaMordoree.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/SARLMourchon.aspWA 88-90 (10/2011): The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape (made from the same blend as the 2009) is a negociant bottling sold under the “Mourchon” label. It possesses sweeter fruit in the aromatics than its older sibling, in addition to a richer, medium to full-bodied mouthfeel and more stuffing and personality. While it is not up to the level of the Seguret Cotes du Rhone-Villages wines, it is a very good effort and could turn out to be close to outstanding.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/SARLMourchon.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/SARLMourchon.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/SARLMourchon.aspRR 93 (9/2011): A blend of 100% very old vine Grenache that’s aged in a combination of demi-muid and barrel, the 2009 Domaine de Mourchon Reserve Grenache shows a deep red/purple color to go with gorgeously complex aromas of black currant, raspberry ganache, spice box, dried licorice, violets, lavender, and meat juice. Certainly a big wine, this stays remarkably fresh and focused, delivering a seamless, elegant texture, brilliant richness through the mid-palate, and a heady, long, and completely dry finish. Superb, this can be consumed now, or cellared for 5-8 years. WA 93 (10/2011): It is also slightly more powerful than the 2009 Family Reserve, which tips the scales at 15% natural alcohol and has a dense ruby/purple color and a beautiful nose of sweet cassis, black cherries and spice box. Again, unctuously textured, full-bodied, opulent, and possessing all the hallmarks of this sumptuously styled, voluminous vintage, this wine is juicy, thick, opulent, and a hedonistic as well as intellectual turn-on. It should drink well for 7-8 years, but again, it is showing exceptionally well.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMourchon.aspRR 92 (8/2010): A dead ringer for a quality northern Rhone Syrah, the 2008 Domaine de Mourchon Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Family Reserve Syrah delivers smoky, meaty aromatics of raspberry and blackberry fruit, peppered bacon, violets and earth. Over the evening, this gets more and more northern Rhone like and I love the complexity and overall elegance of the wine. On the palate, it's medium bodied with a smooth, seamless texture, perfectly ripe fruit, and a clean, delineated, long finish. Northern Rhone lovers need to try this wine! Beautifully made, this should continue to drink well over the next 10 to 12 years.WS 91 (2/2010): Quite dark, offering admirable depth and richness for the vintage, with mouthwatering blackberry and linzer torte flavors laced with espresso, tobacco and a racy minerality that extends the finish. Drink now through 2012. 200 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMourchon.aspWS 92 (10/2011): This is quite young, with rich, velvety layers of fig sauce, raspberry preserve and currant paste layered with gorgeous bittersweet cocoa, violet and anise notes. The long, dark finish is weighty but pure. Impressive. Syrah. Drink now through 2014. 250 cases made. WA 88-90 (10/2010): The 2009 Seguret Family Reserve Syrah is 100% Syrah aged in small oak barrels for ten months before being bottled unfiltered. It exhibits the most saturated ruby/purple color of this quartet along with attractive aromas of blackberries, cassis, spice, licorice and background oak. It does not possess the complexity of the Grenache-based cuvee, but it is a very good Syrah from the southern Rhone that should provide plenty of pleasure over the next 5-8 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMourchon.aspRR 93 (9/2011): A blend of 100% very old vine Grenache that’s aged in a combination of demi-muid and barrel, the 2009 Domaine de Mourchon Reserve Grenache shows a deep red/purple color to go with gorgeously complex aromas of black currant, raspberry ganache, spice box, dried licorice, violets, lavender, and meat juice. Certainly a big wine, this stays remarkably fresh and focused, delivering a seamless, elegant texture, brilliant richness through the mid-palate, and a heady, long, and completely dry finish. Superb, this can be consumed now, or cellared for 5-8 years. WA 91 (10/2011): The 2009 Seguret Grande Reserve is stunning. Dense ruby/purple, with viscous, glycerin-imbued flavors of roasted herbs, pepper, and oodles of black cherry liqueur, this wine is full-bodied, opulent and generously endowed. Quite a beauty, it should continue to drink well for 7-8 years, although there’s no reason to defer your gratification. WS 91 (10/2011): Dark and juicy, with a lovely espresso and tobacco frame to the dark fig, cassis and violet core. Long and rich through the finish, but with graphite-led cut that adds serious length. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2013. 3,300 cases made. JLL **[*] (7/2011): Shiny dark red; red liqueur, soaked cherries or griottes, a little garrigue within, herbs, dust, touch of beef and yeast. Firm-fronted palate, with some layers of black fruit, an intense centre to it. Grainy tannins hold up the finish, has an oak-lined exit. 15°. From 2013.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMourchon.aspWA 90-93 (10/2011): I did not taste any Seguret Family Reserve in 2010, but the 2010 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Seguret Grande Reserve (65% Grenache and 35% Syrah) is a fresh, lively effort revealing good focus, slightly more acidity than the 2009, and a more backward, restrained character. This concentrated, impressively endowed 2010 should age nicely for a decade or more. JLL **[*] (7/2011): Nice black colour, purple tints. Pepper-licorice, reductive air, a profound implant of black fruit. The palate leads on blackberry with a certain plumpness before tannins enclose it. Vigorous wine, just under control. Slight tone of alcohol spirit on the finale. From late 2012. To 2018.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMourchon.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMourchon.aspWS 91 (10/2011): Fleshy and smoky, with enticing mesquite, tobacco and iron notes weaving through the large core of fig and blackberry fruit. The long, smoldering finish has some serious grip in reserve. Grenache, Syrah and Carignan. Drink now through 2013. 2,500 cases made. WA 89 (10/2011): As for the 2009 Cotes du Rhones, which are all in bottle, the 2009 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Seguret Tradition has a dark ruby color and the telltale kirsch liqueur with some earthy and loamy soil notes in the background, as well as hints of pepper and spice. It is a classic example of a Provencal wine. Medium to full-bodied and supple, it should continue to drink well for another 4-5 years.JLL **[*] (7/2011): Robust red, light rim at top. Charcoal on the first nose, then gushy red berry fruit – the bouquet suggests volume. The palate is muscular, broad; it delivers assertive red fruit with a herbal infill, and moves on to a mix of black berry, licorice, thyme and menthol at the end. Modern, full-on style of wine, the cellar has been active. Rather dry tannin on the finish. To 2016.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeMourchon.aspWA 92-93 (12/2001): The 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape is a powerful wine. A dense plum/garnet color is followed by aromas of roasted meats, earth, truffles, dried black fruits, pepper, and spice box. Massively concentrated, it is reminiscent of an old vine Cornas cuvee from the northern Rhone. In addition to copious tannin it possesses fabulous extract as well as a tremendous sweetness that only comes from low yields and/or old vines. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2020. IWC 91-93 (2/2002): (still in cuve Full medium ruby. Superripe, expressive nose of black raspberry, cassis, bitter chocolate and menthol. Fat, full and concentrated, with wonderfully youthful fruit. Dense, fresh and very long, with big, sweet tannins and a late flavor of bitter chocolate. A powerful yet stylish wine, with considerable subtlety. Showing even better today than it did a year ago.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChduMourredeTendre.aspWA 96 (1/2003): The 1998, which has put on considerable weight since I first tasted it, is a blend of 39% Grenache, 37% Mourvedre, and 24% Syrah. It possesses a dense purple color as well as a glorious bouquet of blackberry liqueur intermixed with aromas of white flowers, licorice, and hints of minerals and garrigue. Full-bodied, chewy, and thick, its enormous wealth of fruit and glycerin conceals substantial tannin. To my taste, this classic is the greatest Des Cadettes made to date (but watch out for the 2001!). Anticipated maturity: 2006-2025.IWC 94 (2/2001): Bright ruby color. Superripe aromas of blackberry, plum, roast coffee and charred oak. A wine of great sweetness, ripeness and depth; almost too big for the mouth. A step up in concentration and texture from the normale Really explosive fruit currently hides the suave tannins. One of the stars of the '98 vintage.WS 96 (12/2000): Seductive and sexy, this world-class red is rich, opulent and ripe, with layers of superb mocha, toast and spice. Loaded with blackberry and cassis, its fabulous balance leads to a long fruit-and-oak finish. Very tempting now. Best from 2005 through 2030. 3,905 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ChlaNerthe.aspIWC 92 (6/2007): Medium red. Highly complex aromas of red fruits and pungent herbs, warmed by a gentle toasty oak tone. Suave flavors of raspberry and cherry are accented by lavender and bitter chocolate. Finishes on a sweet note, with dusty tannins and a lingering spice character. WA 88 (2/2007): The 2004 Les Pallieres Gigondas, cropped at 28 hectoliters per hectare, possesses notes of crushed rocks, dried herbs, raspberry and cherry fruit, elegance, medium body, and a nice, slightly austere but impressive finish. It should drink well for at least a decade.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomLesPallieres.aspJLL ****(*) (11/2010): Full, dark robe. This has a wide, clear wall of black fruit on the nose, comes with grilled, toffee traces behind, nutty moments. The black fruit is bright, the nose promising. Black fruits push forward on the palate, which is abundant, oily, possesses ripe tannins that fit in well on its rich, firm finish. A good, complete Cornas that offers genuine local fruit. Its late texture is rich, and the sign-off is a correct assembly of nicely pebbly tannins at the end. From 2013.WA 92-94 (2/2011): The 2009 Cornas Granite 60 Vieilles Vignes adds a few more layers, structure and massive concentration.Vincent Paris’s 2009s are spectacular wines that will repay 10-20 years of cellaring (in the case of La Geynale and Granite 60 Vieilles Vignes). These are rich, full-bodied efforts that cut a nice style between the traditional and more modern, barrique-aged Cornas. Purity, texture and an unmistakable gamy, animal Syrah character that comes from this amphitheater-like appellation are all present in these three cuvees of Cornas.IWC 91-93 (2/2011): Inky ruby. High-pitched dark berry and cherry on the nose, with exotic floral and spice qualities that become more pronounced with air. Very fresh, with pure dark fruit flavors and notes of candied violet, spice cake and smoky minerals. Shows excellent clarity and finishes with good tannic grip and candied floral notes.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomVincentParis.aspWS 93 (9/2009): A modern Cornas, this keeps the dark, sauvage notes of grilled herb, tobacco and olive, but marries them to sleeker tannins and dark, fleshy currant and cherry fruit. The long, iron-tinged finish lets a garrigue note chime in. Mouthwatering. Drink now through 2020. 455 cases made. IWC 91-94 (2/2009): Deep red. Expansive and alluring nose displays red and dark berry aromas along with Asian spices and violet. Juicy raspberry and cassis flavors stain the palate, with firm tannins adding focus. The tangy, precise finish features a strong lingering note of spicy red fruits. This will be Vincent Paris's first release of this wine, which comes from vines he inherited from his now-retired uncle Robert Michel.WA 91-93 (4/2009): The most impressive offering is the black/purple-colored 2007 Cornas La Geynale. Aromas of pen ink, charcoal, blackberry jam, licorice, and saddle leather are followed by huge, massive flavors suggestive of concentrated beef blood and ink. Dense, pure, rich, and broodingly backward, it needs 5-6 years of bottle age, and should drink well over the following two decades.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomVincentParis.aspIWC 88-90 (2/2010): Ruby-red. Highly floral bouquet of fresh red berries, violet and menthol, with a dash of cracked pepper. Racy and a bit tart on entry, offering vivid red fruit flavors and a smoky mineral undertone. Gains weight with air and loses some of its tartness, finishing with gentle grip and good spicy persistence.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomVincentParis.aspWA 92-94 (2/2011): The 2009 Cornas La Geynale is off the charts. It could turn out to be one of the finest Cornas ever made. Still backward, intensely primary and unevolved, it is filled with smoky, gamy, animal-like notes intermixed with notions of blackberry fruit, crushed rocks and spring flowers. It requires 5-10 years of cellaring and should drink well for 2-3 decades.IWC 91-93 (2/2011): Glass-staining ruby. Expressive, perfumed aromas of blackberry, cherry pit, olive, licorice and bitter chocolate, with a spicy topnote. Chewy and concentrated, but surprisingly graceful for its serious dark fruit preserve sweetness and depth. Finishes with powerful tannins and excellent length and lift. This will be a good cellaring candidate. JLL **** (11/2010): Dark, rather sombre robe; ripe and rich nose that brings together black olives, southern airs in the form of grilled beef, beef stock – it is nearly weighty. Has a rich, gamey nature on the palate. Assertive fruit and tannins zig-zag, it lengthens well, shows plenty of carry along the way. Has supple texture, the attack coating the mouth. A full-on style of wine that assembles a tight collection of late tannins, the length good, with licorice, cocoa aspects on the aftertaste. From 2013.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomVincentParis.aspWA 99-100 (2/2006): Domaine de Pegau’s magical 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo is a magnificent offering. Tipping the scales at 16.1% alcohol, it boasts a blockbuster nose of dry vintage port intermixed with pepper, herbes de Provence, and roasted meats. Frightfully concentrated with layers of glycerin and fruit, it should prove to be one of the appellation’s greatest classics. More backward than either the 1998 or 2000 Capos, it is an enormously endowed, hugely concentrated, exhilarating effort that will last for three decades or more. It is a strong candidate for the “wine of the vintage.” Anticipated maturity: 2010-2035+.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWA 100 (10/2010): For the fourth time, the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo has been produced, and for the fourth time, it has received a perfect score although I might back off the 2000's perfect score based on the fact that it seems to be more of an upper-ninety point wine than pure perfection these days. The 2007 may come closest in style to the 1998, the debut vintage, although the tannins are sweeter and the wine is perhaps fatter and richer in the mouth. The alcohols in these cuvees can be very high, ranging from 16.1% in 2003, 15.8% in 2000, 16.3% in 1998, to 15.5% (the lowest ever) in 2007. An inky/purple color is followed by aromas of smoked meats, Peking duck, licorice, lavender, aged beef, grilled steak blood, black currants, plums, sauteed cepes and soy. Enormously concentrated, broad, expansive and massive but not over the top, this is a tour de force in winemaking that is impossible to imagine unless one has a bottle to work through over the course of 4 to 5 hours. Although they advertise using all 13 authorized varietals, this wine is over 90% Grenache, largely from the famed La Crau section of Chateauneuf du Pape. They do have other vineyards from which they pull some of the fruit that goes into the Cuvee da Capo, including St.-Jean, Esquilons and occasionally Monpertuis. The 2007 seems to be broader, fatter, more unctuously textured and more flattering to drink at this stage than the 1998 was. In that sense, the evolutionary development may resemble their 2003s. The 2007 was bottled in February, 2010, and my anticipated drinking dates are 2014-2030+.RR 99 (8/2010): Even more impressive than the Réservée and a noticeable step up, the 2007 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée da Capo is one deep, dense puppy and yields awesome aromas of cassis and blackberry fruit, licorice, dry aged beef, and copious stem and garrigue on the nose. The purity and delineation are truly something and the wine has spectacular intensity, depth, and richness. The palate is full bodied with a pure, precise texture, perfect balance through the mid-palate and a finish that delivers so much tannin and extract that it’s almost mouth-numbing. Give this rock star wine 7 to 10 years in the cellar and then drink over the following 2 decades. JLL ***** (11/2008): full, complete red with mauve tints; has a good, broad aroma, has a biscuity black cherry air and a combination of herbs and licorice - has a lot of potential variety. The palate is tightly packed - it is very Grenache in style with its firm red fruits and prune flavours. The finish is robust, nice and deep, and there is an admirable fresh tang at the end. More stylish and live than many 2007s. From 2012. WS 96 (9/2010): This is a remarkable marriage of density and grace, as layers of roasted fig, braised chestnut and dried blood orange stay supple and plush, embedded with rounded grip and alluring cocoa, graphite and incense notes. There’s a long, espresso- and hoisin sauce-filled finish. Best from 2011 through 2030.WS 96 (11/2010): This shows a remarkable marriage of density and grace, as layers of roasted fig, braised chestnut and dried blood orange stay supple and plush, embedded with rounded grip and alluring cocoa, graphite and incense notes. There's a long, espresso- and hoisin sauce-filled finish. Best from 2011 through 2030. 670 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWA 100 (10/2010): For the fourth time, the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee da Capo has been produced, and for the fourth time, it has received a perfect score although I might back off the 2000's perfect score based on the fact that it seems to be more of an upper-ninety point wine than pure perfection these days. The 2007 may come closest in style to the 1998, the debut vintage, although the tannins are sweeter and the wine is perhaps fatter and richer in the mouth. The alcohols in these cuvees can be very high, ranging from 16.1% in 2003, 15.8% in 2000, 16.3% in 1998, to 15.5% (the lowest ever) in 2007. An inky/purple color is followed by aromas of smoked meats, Peking duck, licorice, lavender, aged beef, grilled steak blood, black currants, plums, sauteed cepes and soy. Enormously concentrated, broad, expansive and massive but not over the top, this is a tour de force in winemaking that is impossible to imagine unless one has a bottle to work through over the course of 4 to 5 hours. Although they advertise using all 13 authorized varietals, this wine is over 90% Grenache, largely from the famed La Crau section of Chateauneuf du Pape. They do have other vineyards from which they pull some of the fruit that goes into the Cuvee da Capo, including St.-Jean, Esquilons and occasionally Monpertuis. The 2007 seems to be broader, fatter, more unctuously textured and more flattering to drink at this stage than the 1998 was. In that sense, the evolutionary development may resemble their 2003s. The 2007 was bottled in February, 2010, and my anticipated drinking dates are 2014-2030+.RR 99 (8/2010): Even more impressive than the Réservée and a noticeable step up, the 2007 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée da Capo is one deep, dense puppy and yields awesome aromas of cassis and blackberry fruit, licorice, dry aged beef, and copious stem and garrigue on the nose. The purity and delineation are truly something and the wine has spectacular intensity, depth, and richness. The palate is full bodied with a pure, precise texture, perfect balance through the mid-palate and a finish that delivers so much tannin and extract that it’s almost mouth-numbing. Give this rock star wine 7 to 10 years in the cellar and then drink over the following 2 decades. JLL ***** (11/2008): full, complete red with mauve tints; has a good, broad aroma, has a biscuity black cherry air and a combination of herbs and licorice - has a lot of potential variety. The palate is tightly packed - it is very Grenache in style with its firm red fruits and prune flavours. The finish is robust, nice and deep, and there is an admirable fresh tang at the end. More stylish and live than many 2007s. From 2012. WS 96 (9/2010): This is a remarkable marriage of density and grace, as layers of roasted fig, braised chestnut and dried blood orange stay supple and plush, embedded with rounded grip and alluring cocoa, graphite and incense notes. There’s a long, espresso- and hoisin sauce-filled finish. Best from 2011 through 2030.WS 96 (11/2010): This shows a remarkable marriage of density and grace, as layers of roasted fig, braised chestnut and dried blood orange stay supple and plush, embedded with rounded grip and alluring cocoa, graphite and incense notes. There's a long, espresso- and hoisin sauce-filled finish. Best from 2011 through 2030. 670 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWA 95 (2/2003): The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee may be one of the few 2000s that is better than its 1998 counterpart. A deep ruby/purple color is accompanied by sweet aromas of creme de cassis, kirsch liqueur, cedar, licorice, and pepper. It smells like an open-air Provencal market. Sweet, fat, opulent, and voluptuous, with fabulous fruit concentration, sweet tannin, and a long, 45+ second finish, this powerful, deep, seamless 2000 is impeccably well-balanced. A tour de force in traditional Chateauneuf du Pape, it is accessible now, but should age easily for 15-20 years.IWC 93 (2/2003): Full ruby-red. Liqueur-like aromas of black raspberry, black cherry and licorice. Lush, fat and full in the mouth, with superb concentration and richness. A seamless wine with great Chateauneuf du Pape character. Complicating notes of tar and chocolate. Finishes with dusty, broad tannins and great persistence. This can be enjoyed now with the right dishes but should age gracefully.WS 89 (9/2003): Beautiful traditional Châteauneuf, all built around mineral, smoke, leather and plum aromas. Good balance in this medium- to full-bodied red thanks to the clean, fresh fruit. The tannins are ripe but clamp down on the finish--a wine created for a great steak! Drink now through 2020. 5,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWS 97 (6/2006): Offers aromas of freshly crushed plum and blackberry with a Port-like headiness, then pumps out dark berry fruit, bramble, licorice, tar and pain d'épices flavors before a flitter of game and garrigue on the finish. Dense and muscular, but also luxurious. Best from 2008 through 2030. 5,830 cases made. WA 95-98 (2/2005): The magical 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee brings to mind a richer, more alcoholic version of their 1990. The 2003's dense plum/purple color is followed by flamboyant aromas and flavors of roasted meats, spicy herbs, pepper, blackberries, and cedar-tinged kirsch-like fruit. Unctuously-textured, with low acidity, high glycerin as well as alcohol (16+% ), and a monster finish, it displays enormous concentration, silky tannin, and no hard edges. This remarkable, traditionally-styled Chateauneuf du Pape will be drinkable young, yet should age effortlessly for two decades or more.IWC 92-94 (2/2006): 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.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspIWC 95 (2/2008): Deep ruby. Seductive dark berry and kirsch aromas are complicated by musky garrigue, black olive and dark chocolate. Dense blackberry and bitter cherry flavors stain the palate and develop a licorice character with air. Tightens up on the long, chewy finish, which is dominated by tangy red berry fruit. This hugely concentrated wine deftly combines liveliness and power.WS 94 (6/2008): Shows gutsy blackberry and fig fruit up front, with notes of pepper, licorice, Turkish coffee and garrigue. The superlong finish lets roasted herb and beef notes check in, while gaining even more depth as this airs. Not quite as much range as 2003 and 2004, but has the intense grip of the vintage and should cruise in the cellar for two decades. Best from 2009 through 2028. 6,000 cases made.WA 92-94 (10/2007): The three lots of 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee (again, no Cuvee da Capo was produced in this vintage) had not yet been blended. Tasting through all of them, they scored between 91 and 94, so I suspect this offering will be similar, qualitatively, to the 2006. But, it is a very different style of wine. It reveals a dark ruby/purple hue along with notes of tar, roasted meats, and Provencal herbs, which give it a certain savage/animal character. The wine is ruggedly constructed, concentrated, full-bodied, tannic, and firm in the finish. For comparison purposes, it comes closest to 1995. The 2005 will need time to come around, and the Ferauds were leaning toward bottling it in late 2007 or early 2008.Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025.JLL **** (11/2007): Black berries, black jam aroma, with plenty of sweet appeal, suggest cassis liqueur: this bouquet is wide, but not yet very focused was bottled 2 weeks ago. Black fruits with a violet thread and ripe tannins come though on the palate; there is plenty of energy here, with lots of life in the tannins, that invest a little late dryness and need 3 years to settle down. There is an interesting weave of black fruit with a brisk texture now, which I find similar to 1995. From 2010.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspIWC 94 (2/2009): Saturated red. Impressively complex scents of red and dark berries, cherry, leather and garrigue, with smoky minerals and dried flowers adding interest. Juicy raspberry and blackcurrant flavors pack serious punch and are seriously concentrated but there's a real elegance to this wine. Licorice and candied flowers echo on the long, sappy finish. This looks to be as good as the superb 2005 today.WA 94 (10/2010): The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee shares a similar meaty, gamy character intermixed with abundant notes of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper and Provencal herbs, sweeter tannins than the 2005, a voluptuous, full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long finish. The fruit seems sweeter and I would not be surprised if the 2006 has higher alcohol than the 2005 (although all top vintages here tend to be in the 14.8-15.6 range). This big, rich, impressive effort will age effortlessly over the next 20-25 years. WS 94 (7/2011): This has a gorgeous mix of damson plum, cherry preserves, fig paste and anise layered with roasted chestnut and mesquite notes and all framed by a mouthwatering cocoa powder edge. Refined, despite its old-school, grippy finish. Well-built for the cellar. Best from 2012 through 2030.RR 93 (8/2009): Showing better than a previous bottle, the 2006 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée has put on weight and exhibits beautiful garrigue, bramble, meat and dark fruit, medium to full body and a rich, full texture. Balanced and clean, this should drink beautifully over the next 15 years. JLL *** (11/2008): Plum red robe; has a ripe and willing nose - mulberry, deep plum fruit liqueur with laurel, herbs, sweet spice. On the palate this shows itself to be a texture wine - red fruits, plums in the flavour, one that comes very elegantly. The shape is round, the feel rather nice and sultry. Has good length, is very scented, and its supple tannins are quietly present. A pretty wine with a lot of silky appeal. Drinks well now, is w.o.w. "It is a very Burgundian year; this is a vin de plaisir (a pleasure wine), not one that wins Medals. It`s a bit like a 1997-plus. It started more on live red fruits, then spices came after its oak ageing," Laurence Féraud.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWS 94 (12/2001): Wonderfully fragrant and impressively ripe. What Châteauneuf is all about--plenty of wet earth, mineral, plum, sweet tannins and sweet fruit. A cascade of pleasure, full-bodied and long on the sparkling finish. Drink now through 2015. 5,000 cases made.WA 92 (12/2001): A powerful, concentrated 1999 Chateauneuf du Papes was produced at Chateau Pegau. The dense ruby/purple-colored 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee boasts a powerful bouquet of pepper, garrigue, black fruits, and earth. Full-bodied and expansive, with sweet tannin giving it a more open-knit, accessible style than most young vintages of Pegau, this is a wine to drink while waiting for the 1998 and 1995 to become fully mature. Like all of this estate's red wines, it was bottled with neither fining nor filtration.IWC 92 (2/2002): Good bright ruby. Lively, multidimensional aromas of black cherry, black raspberry, licorice, leather, game and dark chocolate. Densely packed but juicy, with notes of licorice and roasted nuts. Very nicely balanced Chateauneuf in an old-fashioned, headspinning style. Finishes very long, with fine tannins. Should be drinkable upon release but capable of developing for a decade or more. Ultimately a bit less thick than the '98 but more refreshing.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWS 97 (6/2006): Offers aromas of freshly crushed plum and blackberry with a Port-like headiness, then pumps out dark berry fruit, bramble, licorice, tar and pain d'épices flavors before a flitter of game and garrigue on the finish. Dense and muscular, but also luxurious. Best from 2008 through 2030. 5,830 cases made. WA 95-98 (2/2005): The magical 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee brings to mind a richer, more alcoholic version of their 1990. The 2003's dense plum/purple color is followed by flamboyant aromas and flavors of roasted meats, spicy herbs, pepper, blackberries, and cedar-tinged kirsch-like fruit. Unctuously-textured, with low acidity, high glycerin as well as alcohol (16+% ), and a monster finish, it displays enormous concentration, silky tannin, and no hard edges. This remarkable, traditionally-styled Chateauneuf du Pape will be drinkable young, yet should age effortlessly for two decades or more.IWC 92-94 (2/2006): 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.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWS 96 (3/2007): A real powerhouse, with muscular layers of fig and black currant compote backed by braised beef, chestnut, tobacco and tar flavors. The long, mesquite-filled finish lets additional bittersweet cocoa and dark fruit notes linger, with lots of garrigue. Best from 2008 through 2025.WA 94 (2/2007): One of the finest efforts of the vintage is the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee. There is no Cuvee da Capo in 2004, and as my commentary will make clear, they decided not to produce one in 2005. The 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee has a dark plum/garnet/purple color and a big, sweet nose of kirsch liqueur, lavender, roasted herbs, and beef juices intermixed with some licorice and spice. It is full-bodied, rich, deep, spicy, and dense with some tannins in the finish. The wine is not as accessible as many 2004s, and I would opt for cellaring it for 3-4 years and drinking it over the following 15-20. It's a gorgeous effort for the vintage.IWC 93 (2/2007): Ruby-red. Spicy red fruits on the nose, complicated by tapenade, lavender and espresso. Very fresh and sweet, with energetic red and dark fruit flavors, suggestions of garrigue and supple tannins. Finishes deep and sappy, with a lingering cherry pit note clinging tenaciously.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspIWC 94 (2/2009): Saturated red. Impressively complex scents of red and dark berries, cherry, leather and garrigue, with smoky minerals and dried flowers adding interest. Juicy raspberry and blackcurrant flavors pack serious punch and are seriously concentrated but there's a real elegance to this wine. Licorice and candied flowers echo on the long, sappy finish. This looks to be as good as the superb 2005 today.WA 94 (10/2010): The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee shares a similar meaty, gamy character intermixed with abundant notes of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper and Provencal herbs, sweeter tannins than the 2005, a voluptuous, full-bodied mouthfeel, and a long finish. The fruit seems sweeter and I would not be surprised if the 2006 has higher alcohol than the 2005 (although all top vintages here tend to be in the 14.8-15.6 range). This big, rich, impressive effort will age effortlessly over the next 20-25 years. WS 94 (7/2011): This has a gorgeous mix of damson plum, cherry preserves, fig paste and anise layered with roasted chestnut and mesquite notes and all framed by a mouthwatering cocoa powder edge. Refined, despite its old-school, grippy finish. Well-built for the cellar. Best from 2012 through 2030.RR 93 (8/2009): Showing better than a previous bottle, the 2006 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée has put on weight and exhibits beautiful garrigue, bramble, meat and dark fruit, medium to full body and a rich, full texture. Balanced and clean, this should drink beautifully over the next 15 years. JLL *** (11/2008): Plum red robe; has a ripe and willing nose - mulberry, deep plum fruit liqueur with laurel, herbs, sweet spice. On the palate this shows itself to be a texture wine - red fruits, plums in the flavour, one that comes very elegantly. The shape is round, the feel rather nice and sultry. Has good length, is very scented, and its supple tannins are quietly present. A pretty wine with a lot of silky appeal. Drinks well now, is w.o.w. "It is a very Burgundian year; this is a vin de plaisir (a pleasure wine), not one that wins Medals. It`s a bit like a 1997-plus. It started more on live red fruits, then spices came after its oak ageing," Laurence Féraud.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspRR 97 (8/2010): The 2007 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée is a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah and the rest Mourvèdre and assorted varieties. The wine is fermented with 100% stems. On the nose, it delivers with gorgeous plum and blackberry fruits, meat, roasted garrigue, and earthy, mineral undertones. Those put off by the sheer hedonism found in some ‘07s should try this as it shows a perfect mix of the stunning fruit the vintage produced, paired with a more traditional, focused profile. In the mouth, the wine shows considerable structure with medium to full body, a superb, focused texture, ripe tannin, and a very long finish. Possibly one of the more age-worthy ‘07s, this should drink beautifully over the next 2 decades. Tasted 3 times. JLL ****[*] (11/2008): Quite a full red robe; has an oily, classic 2007 aroma - blueberry, raspberry, luxury fruits, but there are some hidden pockets. The palate presents licorice and black fruits with tannin present - it rocks on well, has a definite sense of purpose. I like the tannin structure in this - its matter is rich in an understated way, and it ends with a promising clarity and the hint of herbs. Accessible early, but may well tighten around 2011. WS 95 (3/2010): This packs it all together, with the ripe plum sauce, braised fig and currant paste notes of the vintage matched with invigorating hoisin sauce, brick dust and grilled beef notes. The long finish drips with fruit, but stays framed by a wild edge that keeps this firmly planted in terroir. Best from 2011 through 2031.WA 95 (10/2010): The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee (of which I was lucky to find a magnum on a Paris bistro’s wine list a week after my tasting at the estate) is a brilliant effort that ranks alongside the colossal 2003 Cuvee Reservee. A blend of approximately 85% Grenache, 8-9% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre and other varietals from 50-100+ year old vines aged in foudre, it exhibits a dense plum/purple color along with a big, sweet bouquet of beef blood, grilled herbs, barbecue smoke, lavender, sweet cassis and kirsch and a hint of Asian soy. The wine possesses a fabulous texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity and alcohol. Certainly the alcohol level is pushing 16% in this wine. With extraordinary texture and unctuosity, this remarkable effort should drink well for 20+ years yet be very appealing in its youth given the glycerin, velvety texture, and remarkable complexity. IWC 94 (2/2010): Opaque ruby. The highly perfumed nose offers an exotic array of red and dark berries, spicecake and potpourri, with hints of smoky herbs and olive adding complexity. Juicy and fresh for a wine that's over 15% alcohol, offering sweet raspberry and cherry flavors framed by silky tannins. Very suave and open-knit today, with excellent finishing clarity and smoky persistence.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWA 95-97 (10/2011): Under the estate Domaine du Pegau label, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee is spending a longer time in barrel and foudre than usual. Consequently, I tasted through three separate foudres, all of which looked spectacular. The final blend will probably be about 80% Grenache, 14% Syrah, 4% Mourvedre and 2% other varietals. The color is a dense black/ruby (one of the more opaque 2009s I saw), and the powerful nose offers up aromas of licorice, smoked herbs, charcuterie, bouquet garni, roasted meats, Peking duck, kirsch, blackberries and cassis. An enormous success, this cuvee has come on like gang busters since I tasted it last year, and may eclipse the stunning 2007. Given its tannin profile, the 2009 will require 5-6 years of cellaring and should keep for 30-35 years. Could this be a modern day version of Pegau’s compelling 1989 Cuvee Reservee? RR 96+ (3/2012): Showing even better from bottle than from barrel, and I think a match for the knockout ‘07, the 2009 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée (roughly 80% Grenache, 14% Syrah and the rest a mix of varieties) is a brilliant Châteauneuf-du-Pape that oozes southern Rhône flair. Reminiscent of a Provencal street market, with massive garrigue, charcuterie, saddle leather, kirsch, and framboise like aromas and flavors, this gains steam over the evening and possesses a full-bodied, gorgeously concentrated and structured palate. There’s plenty of ripe fruit, solid freshness, and masses of polished, ripe tannin on the finish, and while this has the intensity and perfume to drink well now, it will be even better in 5-7 years, and drink well for two decades or more. I’m a big fan, but as I said in the barrel review, this has a touch of brett, so buy these on release and keep them in a cool cellar! WS 95 (4/2012): Dark and dense, with stunning espresso, warm ganache and roasted plum aromas giving way to layers of black currant, braised fig and licorice root. The long, grip-filled finish is framed by a strong roasted mesquite edge and a lingering note of brick dust. A wild wine, with loads going on. Just needs cellaring to round into form. Best from 2015 through 2030. 6,170 cases made.IWC 93 (3/2012): Dark ruby. Wild, highly aromatic bouquet of dark berry liqueur, cherry pit, smoked meat and garrigue. Deeply pitched black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors are broad and sappy, with a smoky floral quality appearing on the back. The long finish features gentle tannic grip and lingering smokiness. Fans of old-school Chateauneuf are going to love this wine. JLL **** (3/2011): Dark tints in the robe. Sunny, ripe fruit air, but clarity is here, a good sign for a 2009, also has a quiet intensity. The attack is “dark”, shifts along, has a fine nature, drinks freely. There are clear, crunchy tannins at the end, good and crisp. The aftertaste is smoky, dark, while there are spots of gras along its palate route. Stiff for now, but very orderly, so no worries that it won't bend with time. From spring 2013.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomduPegau.aspWA 96 (2/1996): Pignan is an actual terroir or lieux-dit that sits to the west and north of the narrow band of sandy/clay soil that composes the Rayas vineyard. While it is a separate vineyard, in practice, Pignan is the second wine of Rayas. Its extraordinary showing in such recent vintages as 1989 and 1990 have led some skeptics to suggest that the idiosyncratic Jacques Reynaud may be putting his best juice in Pignan, using Rayas as a second label. This is untrue, but there is no doubting that Pignan, especially in 1989 and 1990, is a wine of extraordinary richness and intensity that can be purchased for less than half the price of Rayas. The 1990 Pignan is a thick, fruity ball of over-ripe black-cherry Grenache fruit. Thick and juicy, with high alcohol and glycerin, this knock-out, full-bodied, port-like wine should drink well for another 15+ years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdePignan(Rayas).aspWA 97 (2/2006): Revealing more structure and definition than the regular bottling, the 2003 Cote Rotie La Landonne offers more scorched earth, camphor, blackberry, and roasted meat characteristics. Last year this cuvee displayed no acidity, but that is not the case from bottle (perhaps the use of 50% stems helped). Rostaing admits that analytically, there is practically no acid in this wine, so it will age on its extraordinary extract and richness. This blockbuster should drink well young, yet age for 12-15 years.IWC 95 (2/2006): Inky ruby color. Powerful scents of cherry liqueur, blackberry and grilled meat, with a strong violet element adding lift. Big but juicy in the mouth, with great ripeness and impressive depth of flavor. Shows a range of jammy berry flavors accented by pungent florality. "Can the material compensate for the low acidity?" wonders Rostaing, noting that the actual acidity here is barely two grams per liter. I'd bet on it. WS 95 (6/2006): Silky and long, with very dark cherry, cocoa and game flavors backed by mineral and grilled herb notes. Tight now, with firm cocoa powder and tar notes guarding the finish, but has depth and complexity for the longer haul. Best from 2007 through 2020. 315 cases made.JLL ***[*] (4/2006): Half bottle: overtly leathery, also prune and rather animal aroma, sprinkled with violet, is on the march already. Compact, rounded shape, near the finish reveals tasty, black fruit pastille flavour. Good mix of mineral and black fruit on end, persists well, and finish is clear and decisive for the year. Open and attractive, easy for everyone to like. "The aroma was very floral at first. I didn't acidify these wines." R.R.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ReneRostaing.aspWA 92 (2/2003): The Cuvee Prestige is full-bodied, sexy, concentrated, and loaded with the essence of Provence. The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige smells like liqueur of black pepper intermixed with lavender, game, and black fruits. It tastes so much like Provence that one almost expects some of their famous miniature figurines (santons) to jump out of the glass. Ripe, layered, and spicy, with soaring aromatics, this fleshy, chewy 2000 is undoubtedly hiding some serious tannin. Anticipated maturity: now-2016.IWC 88 (2/2003): Medium-deep color. Superripe aromas of plum, redcurrant, chocolate and spice cake, with a faint raisiny character. Sweet, open, easygoing and showy; quintessential ripe Chateauneuf texture and flavors. Complicating note of sweet herbs. Finishes with sweet tannins and moderate grip. I would have scored this wine even higher but for a slight suggestion of imperfect wood.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomRogerSabon.aspWA 94-96+ (10/2011): Once again the Sabons have hit a home run with their 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige. Opaque purple-hued with a full-bodied mouthfeel, massive concentration, abundant tannin and good acidity, it will not be as drinkable early on as the 2009 Prestige. The 2010 possesses some of the structural characteristics of the 2005, and thus requires 5-6 years of patience. It should keep for an atypically long time for a Chateauneuf du Pape - 25-30 years. It is a brilliant, majestic, massive Chateauneuf du Pape from the Sabons.RR 94-96 (9/2011): Aged in a combination of new and old foudre, the 2010 Roger Sabon Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Prestige, tasted out of barrel, is loaded with promise and it’s always a good sign when the first word in my notes is “Wow.” Possessing brilliant aromatics of raspberry, crème de cassis and spice, the wine is very fresh and pure on the palate, showing perfect balance, loads of ripe tannin, and a dense concentrated, yet elegant feel. As with the Cuvée Réservée, this will take a handful of years to fully hit its stride, and should have a very long life.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomRogerSabon.aspWA 96 (2/2006): The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret des Sabon is extremely powerful and full-bodied with that note of truffle oil, burning embers, and roasted meats along with melted licorice, creme de cassis, blackberry and cherry. Dense, full-bodied, and expansive, with high glycerin and what must be at least 16+% alcohol, this is a formidable Chateauneuf du Pape that should drink well for 15+ years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomRogerSabon.aspWA 96 (10/2008): The inky/purple-hued, enormously endowed 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret des Sabon is a monster of massive concentration and power. It reveals a suppleness to the tannins as well as a more evolved, accessible personality than the 2007, but, wow, it should keep for 20-25 years.IWC 95 (1/2009): Vivid ruby. Knockout nose evokes cherry preserves, blackcurrant, incense, lavender and fresh bay. Deep, sweet and rich but possessing uncanny energy, offering sweet red and dark berry flavors, a velvety texture and great clarity. An exotic floral pastille quality gains strength with air and carries through an endless sappy finish. For a wine this powerful, the focus and balance are striking.WS 94 (11/2008): Gorgeous kirsch and mocha aromas lead the way for this silky, alluring version, loaded with raspberry ganache, fruitcake, melted red licorice and graphite notes. The long, silky finish has nice latent grip and buried minerality. Best from 2009 through 2028. 300 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomRogerSabon.aspWS 92 (4/2001): Quite ripe-tasting, with a nice rusticness; and quite jammy, with raspberry dark plum and spice flavors, peppery notes on the finish. A powerhouse that needs time to flesh out. Best from 2002 through 2006.WA 90 (10/2000): The outstanding, saturated dark plum-colored 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee possesses notes of scorched earth, roasted herbs, smoked duck, and a boatload of kirsch liqueur fruitiness. Full-bodied, with moderate tannin and impressive purity and concentration, this wine should be cellared for 1-3 years, and drunk over the following 12-15. IWC 88 (2/2001): Full ruby-red. Roasted red berries and roast coffee on the liqueur-like nose. Concentrated, dense and chewy, with port-like ripeness and elevated alcohol. Classic grenache flavors of red berry liqueur and chocolate. Finishes with big, chewy tannins.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomRogerSabon.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomSainte-Anne.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomSainte-Anne.aspJLL ***[*] (7/2011): Shiny, quite full red; pine and resin lead notes on the nose, a waxen effect in with red cherry eau de vie. The palate starts on a supple, squeezy note. There is a pine influence through this, as if altitude and limestone snap have played a part. Interesting wine with STGT leaning. It develops notes of red meat and roast beef as the second half becomes full, with mixed herbs and a fresh menthol exit. Drinks well now, with character and guts. 100% large barrel raising this year. WS 90 (2/2011): Solid for the vintage, with a good core of anise, mulled plum, boysenberry and fig, all laced with sweet spice and roasted apple wood notes. The nicely rounded finish has ample length. Drink now through 2013. 500 cases imported.WA 88 (10/2010): Yves Gras produced only one Gigondas in 2008, the Tradition. This upfront effort displays lots of pepper, garrigue, blueberry, black currant, Provencal herb and crushed rock characteristics in addition to silky tannins. Already drinkable, it should evolve for another 5-7 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomSantaDuc.aspJLL ***[*] (7/2011): Shiny, quite full red; pine and resin lead notes on the nose, a waxen effect in with red cherry eau de vie. The palate starts on a supple, squeezy note. There is a pine influence through this, as if altitude and limestone snap have played a part. Interesting wine with STGT leaning. It develops notes of red meat and roast beef as the second half becomes full, with mixed herbs and a fresh menthol exit. Drinks well now, with character and guts. 100% large barrel raising this year. WS 90 (2/2011): Solid for the vintage, with a good core of anise, mulled plum, boysenberry and fig, all laced with sweet spice and roasted apple wood notes. The nicely rounded finish has ample length. Drink now through 2013. 500 cases imported.WA 88 (10/2010): Yves Gras produced only one Gigondas in 2008, the Tradition. This upfront effort displays lots of pepper, garrigue, blueberry, black currant, Provencal herb and crushed rock characteristics in addition to silky tannins. Already drinkable, it should evolve for another 5-7 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomSantaDuc.aspWA 95-97 (10/2010): The 2009 is provisionally called Gigondas Grand Grenache 66. Another incredible offering, it may be the wine of the vintage in Gigondas. Enormous aromas of kirsch, blackberries, incense and camphor jump from the glass of this inky/purple-colored wine. It exhibits great minerality, enormous concentration, extraction and richness but is neither over the top nor too heavy. This phenomenal Gigondas should age for 20-25+ years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomSantaDuc.aspRR 96 (9/2011): Quite possibly the wine of the vintage, the brilliant 2009 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues is a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 3% Syrah, and 2% Cinsault that’s aged for 2 years in a combination of French oak barrels and foudre. Sporting an inky red/blood color to go with thrilling aromas charred earth, garrigue, licorice, and smoked meat, as well as beautifully ripe dark fruit, this full-bodied, seriously concentrated Gigondas has a layered, textured mid-palate, fantastic freshness, and a structured, age-worthy core. Give bottles 3-5 years in the cellar, and then drink over the following 15 years. WA 94-97 (10/2010): Gras’ top cuvee from the oldest vines planted in the estate’s finest sectors is the 2009 Gigondas Les Hautes Garrigues, which tips the scales at nearly 16.5% alcohol. A terrific effort that spent time in 20% new oak casks, it boasts a dense opaque purple color as well as a stunning perfume of graphite, camphor, black raspberries, blackberries, white chocolate and smoked meats. Dense, opulent, powerful and rich with zesty acidity, sweet but powerful tannins, and a finish that lasts 40+ seconds, this 2009 needs 3-4 years of bottle age and should drink well for two decades.JLL ****[*] (3/2011): Thorough, attractive robe. The aroma is level, persists well, has style, has a clear refinement, reflects polished leather, too. Gutsy, complete wine - I like its heart and fullness - all bases are covered. The fruit has style - the taste of prune and raisin, has quite a dark side about it, is not fat and jelly-like. It pulls along well. From mid-2014. Finishes clearly.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomSantaDuc.aspWA 89-92 (10/2010): A blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre and 15% Syrah, the 2009 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Le Blovac exhibits a dense purple color as well as abundant aromas of black cherries, white chocolate, earth and garrigue, medium to full body and relatively elegant tannins for a Rasteau. It is a big, masculine-styled, civilized wine that should drink well for a decade.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/SantaDucSelections.aspWA 93 (10/2009): The deeply-colored 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is a blend of 55% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 15% Mourvedre aged 80% in tank and 20% in small barrels. The 2007 is the finest traditional Chateauneuf since the glorious 1967. Its dense ruby/purple color is followed by a sensational perfume of kirsch, cassis liqueur, plums, licorice, roasted herbs, and meat juices. Seriously endowed, full-bodied, broad, savory, and layered, this is a huge, rich, massive wine that will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring, and last for two decades or more. A sleeper of the vintage, it is one of the region’s best bargains if measuring dollars per points.JLL **** (10/2010): Robe is dark all through. Spice-perfume mix on the nose - it is interesting, is deep, grounded, persistent, has a sprinkle of pepper. The palate is rich, with the vintage baked notes after half way- these notes come along rather fast. It is starting to tighten, close down the shop. Good, quite powerful length. It is wide late on, plenty, gutsy but orderly wine. Has a solid finale, a tangy aftertaste. From mid-2012. WS 91 (7/2010): Shows the rich, fleshy profile of the vintage, with very polished plum, fig and raspberry ganache notes, layered with sweet spice and well-integrated toast. This has a powerful, fruit- and licorice-driven finish. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2020. 9,500 cases made. IWC 90 (2/2010): Inky purple. Sexy, perfumed scents of black raspberry, cherry compote and potpourri. Broad, fleshy and sweet, offering lush, edge-free black and blue fruit flavors. This upfront, creamy wine is delicious right now.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaSolitude.aspWA 96 (10/2008): The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Cornelia Constanza was fashioned from 100% very old vine Grenache, primarily aged in tank. It exhibits all the characteristics of ripe Grenache, including notes of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, figs, spice box, and flowers. Heady, full-bodied, concentrated, decadently rich, and oh, so powerful and deep, this is a "must" purchase for those who love old vine Grenache in its unmanipulated, natural, naked glory. This wine should drink beautifully for 15-20 years.RR 94 (8/2010): A special cuvee first produced in ’05, the 2006 Domaine de la Solitude (Lançon Père et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Cornelia Constanza is 100% old vine Grenache from La Crau that’s completely destemmed and has 5% of the blend aged in new oak barrels for 16 months. It is a hedonistic dream, yielding massive Grenache aromas of kirsch, framboise, licorice, and spice, as well as subtle hints of wood. Full bodied, round, lush and downright sexy on the palate, this beauty has a rich, saturating texture, beautiful ripeness (it’s not overripe) and a clean, long finish that carries ripe tannin. One big mouthful of Grenache, this should drink beautifully over the next 15 years or more. JLL ***[*] (10/2010): Grenache red, some light streaks. Quite mature red fruit aroma, plus melted honey, dates that drift across the glass – the bouquet is becoming open, comes with cocoa and mineral airs that suggest the first signs of evolution. The palate`s red fruit is accessible (much more than the Barberini 2006 and 2007 today) and peppery, leading to a fresh, mineral-tinted finish. There is a definite 2006 fibre through this, one that casts off any heavy hangers-on, travels straight and freshly. Decant this. IWC 91 (2/2009): Bright red. Sharply focused red berry and cherry aromas are complicated by anise, garrigue and smoky minerals. Pliant red fruit flavors are supported by zesty minerals, gaining flesh and sweetness with air. Very nicely balanced wine with a compelling blend of depth and vivacity that bodes well for cellaring.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaSolitude.aspWA 94-96 (2/2009): The top effort, the 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau Fleur de Confiance, is awesome. An inky/blue/black color is followed by a stunning bouquet of scorched earth, incense, blackberry jam, coffee, and spice. This full-bodied, massive, stacked and packed Rasteau is destined for two decades of life. Its sweet tannin and textured mouthfeel are compelling. Give it 2-4 years of cellaring and consume it over the following 20 years.RR 94 (9/2011): From incredibly low yields and vines averaging 50-100 years in age, the 2007 Domaine la Soumade Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau Cuvée Fleur de Confiance is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre that’s aged for 18 months in 1-2 year old demi-muids. Sporting an inky black/ruby color as well as deep, layered aromas of chocolate covered black cherries, graphite, dusty earth, and toasted spice, the wine is impeccably balanced on the palate, showing a seamless, elegant texture, thrilling levels of sweet, concentration fruit, beautiful acidity, and substantial, yet perfectly integrated structure and tannin. This gorgeous Rasteau opens up beautifully in the glass (I followed the bottle for three days and it never failed to impress) and while superb now, should be even better with 2-3 years of bottle age, and drink well for 15 to 20 years. Captivating stuff and with quality like this, it is no wonder Rasteau was recently awarded its own Appellation. JLL **** (11/2009): Black-tinted robe. Caramel, honey, and a soft air of blackberry liqueur under them, soaked cherries. The palate is textured, but a fine grain runs through it, and it isn`t too supple. It runs truly to the line, handles its power OK, has good heart. Agreeable late blackberry fruit, so it is textured with just a bit of fresh tannin and late heat to ginger it up. It may close in the next year. 15.5°, which is concealed by its fine qualities, but still needs taking into account.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomlaSoumade.aspRR 90 (3/2009): The 2005 Domaine Saint Luc Coteaux du Tricastin L’Excellence de St Luc (97% Syrah and 3% Viognier) is a step up from the ’04 with pure, clean aromatics of cassis and plum fruit, violets, lead pencil and smoky, charcoal and chocolate nuances. This leads into a medium to full bodied wine that displays considerable polish along with a smooth, rich texture, beautiful balance and a medium to long finish. While approchable now, this should benefit from a year or two in the cellar and drink well over the next 8 to 10 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomStLuc.aspRR 89 (6/2011): Smooth and supple, the 2006 L'Excellence de St Luc is an old vine blend of Syrah and Viognier that delivers a feminine bouquet of fresh plum, cherry pit, spice, pepper, and crushed flowers. This is followed by a medium bodied, very well balanced, and overall elegant wine that has a seamless, polished texture, ripe fruit, and a classy finish that has solid length and persistence. Delicious and very easy drinking, this shows best with an hour decant, and should be enjoyed over the coming 5-8 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomStLuc.aspWA 100 (10/2009): Absolutely prodigious, and, like the other two 2007s, superior to what I predicted last year, is the utterly perfect 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Collection Charles Giraud. Made from 80-year-old Grenache (60%) and 60-year-old Mouvedre (40%) and aged totally in 600-liter demi-muids, I have had this wine a half dozen times, and it has been perfect on every occasion. It offers a mouthful of Chateauneuf du Pape filled with elegance, purity, and laser-like focus. The dark plum/purple color is accompanied by notes of camphor, ground pepper, sweet blackberry and black cherry fruit interwoven with licorice, garrigue, and spice box. In that sense, it is the quintessential expression of a Chateauneuf du Pape, Provence, and the southern Rhone. The wine hits the palate with a glorious display of red and black fruits, herbs, and spices. Full-bodied, meaty, rich, and chewy with extraordinary purity and intensity as well as a multilayered texture and a 60+ second finish, this amazing wine offers up a smorgasbord of aromas and flavors. Furthermore, everything is perfectly balanced. Already irresistible, this 2007 Chateauneuf should drink well for 15-20 years. Wow! WS 98 (10/2009): (Wine Spectator #31 for 2009) Dark roasted Kenya AA coffee, braised fig, charred mesquite, mulled currant and blackberry fruit all work together in this huge and muscular but seamless and velvety offering. Graphite, brown bread, mineral and espresso notes weave through the finish, which has loads of pepper- and loam-tinged grip in reserve. Grenache and Mourvèdre. Best from 2011 through 2030. 665 cases made. RR 98 (8/2009): Even more impressive than the Réserve Auguste Favier and certainly one of the wines of the vintage, the 2007 Domaine Saint Préfert Châteauneuf-du-Pape Collection Charles Giraud offers up decadent, meaty and slightly floral aromas of cassis, raspberry, cocoa powder, spice, cured meats and licorice. These lead into a full bodied, perfectly built palate that displays incredible finesse paired with powerful, massive fruit and serious concentration. Silky, harmonious and a thrilling bottle of wine, I’ve no clue how long this will age but it offers immense pleasure right now. IWC 95 (2/2010): Inky purple. Intensely pungent nose offers a kaleidoscopic array of dark berries, flowers and spices, with elements of licorice and dark chocolate adding depth. Creamy mulberry and cherry-cola flavors coat the palate, complicated by sexy floral pastille and fruitcake qualities. Extremely rich wine with great back-end power and finishing sappiness.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomStPrefert.aspIWC 93 (2/2001): Medium ruby. Crushed blackberry, kirsch and leather on the port-like nose. Huge, powerful, deep and roasted; extravagantly roasted flavors of surmaturite Combines uncanny density with rock-solid acid and tannin structure. Finishes with compelling persistence and late hints of leather and bitter chocolate. WS 87 (6/2001): Rich and opulent, with plum, roasted nuts, game character. Medium-bodied, with smoke and licorice adding some complexity. Chewy, tannic and slightly heavy finish. Best from 2005 through 2010. 3,600 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomTardieu-Laurent.aspWA 96-100 (4/2002): While the 2000 Tardieu-Laurent offerings are excellent for the vintage, they are significantly less concentrated and textured compared to the awesome 1999s. The 1999s which were given fabulous ratings from barrel, were not tasted from bottle. However, given part experience with bottled Tardieu-Laurent wines, they are undoutedly as good as I predicted from cask. They are not racked until bottling, produced with minimal levels of SO2, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration.IWC 96+ (2/2002): (from magnum) Full medium ruby. Profound, freakishly pure, essence-of-Cote-Rotie nose: black raspberry, minerals, black pepper, animal fur and mint. Like liquid silk on entry, with extraordinary, exuberant sweetness of fruit. Much denser than the regular bottling, but still very firmly built, thanks to bright acids and serious tannic backbone. Finishes with unnatural persistence and great grip and verve. From very old, low-yielding petit serine vines in Chavaroche, La Landonne and Grandes Places. This is even more expressive of Cote-Rotie terroir than of varietal syrah character. Should be a cellar treasure.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomTardieu-Laurent.aspWA 91-92 (2/1999): The 1997 Hermitage Eremites is an impressively-endowed dark ruby/purple-colored wine with copious quantities of sweet black currant fruit intermixed with notes of coffee, tar, and earth. This wine is dense, full-bodied, and outstanding in all aspects. Look for the 1997 Hermitage Eremites to age well for two decades.IWC 89-92 (2/1999): Black-ruby color. High-pitched, inky aromas of black cherry and shoe polish. Very lush entry, then closed and tough in the middle, dominated by its acidity and tannic structure. Rather oaky flavors of cassis and blackberry. Finishes with substantial tannins. I'd expect this wine to require several years of aging to show its underlying sweetness.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomTardieu-Laurent.aspWA 98 (12/2011): The magnificent 2009 Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes boasts a black/purple color as well as a wonderful nose of creosote, incense, charcoal, blackberry jam, acacia flowers, white chocolate and a hint of espresso roast. Full-bodied and unctuously textured with low acidity and magnificent density, this 2009 can be drunk in 5-6 years or cellared for 30-50 years. RR 96+ (3/2012): Much more structure, smoky, and concentrated, with a burly feel, the 2009 Delas Frères Hermitage Domaine des Tourettes delivers a serious array of blackberry, graphite, mineral, cedar, and charcoal that gives way to a full-bodied, dense, almost painfully structured palate. Fleshing out in the glass, this rock star Hermitage has a deep, layered mid-palate, integrated acidity, and masses of tannin on the finish. This needs time. Give bottles 5-6 years in the cellar, and then plan on drinking over the following two decades! JLL ***** (7/2011): Bottled 10 days ago: dark robe, off we go, promising start. Black fruit and black olives aroma in waves, the fruit ripe, and it all wrapped up in a circle, a rich ball of bouquet waiting to unleash. Imagine this around 2018 – wow! Rich, inscrutable, locked up palate. The texture is rich to oily, the fruit subdued from its bottling. The nose reflects sun, ripeness, bounty, the palate is also bountiful, rich and continuous. Sunny and juicy, persistent wine – what the Bordelais sought from Hermitage in the nineteenth century is understood. It is not far off 1999 in style and richness. “It is a bit more complex and less hot than 1999,” Jacques Grange.IWC 91+ (4/2012): Inky purple. Deeply pitched aromas of cherry and cassis, with licorice and black pepper nuances adding complexity. Chewy and dense, offering bitter cherry and dark berry flavors lifted by a spicy note on the back half. Finishes with gentle tannic grip and persistent spice and smoke notes. Give this masculine, brawny wine at least a few more years of bottle age.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdesTourettes(Delas).aspWS 93 (9/2003): Delightful. Elegant and classy, this racy Châteauneuf displays the mineral, stone, chalk, plum and smoke-leather complexity of the appellation, all in a clean, long and refined style. Drink now through 2012. 5,000 cases made. WA 90-91 (2/2003): The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape (the Weygandt cuvee) is full-bodied, with gamy notes of licorice, new saddle leather, plums, figs, and dried herbs. Heady, chewy, and deep, it may be even more concentrated and powerful than the 2000. The wine is a blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/RaymondUsseglio.aspWA 95 (2/2003): The profound 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul (85% Grenache and the rest equal parts Syrah, Mourvedre, and Cinsault) tips the scales at 15% alcohol. From an old vineyard and cropped at 15 hectoliters per hectare, and aged only in foudre, it boasts a dense purple color in addition to an exquisite nose of violets, minerals, blueberries and blackberries. Pure and concentrated, but atypically tannic, it requires considerable aging as it is one of the vintage's more backward, broodingly powerful efforts. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2020. Kudos to Thierry and Jean-Pierre Usseglio, Wine Advocate wine personalities of the year in 2001!IWC 93 (2/2003): Good deep red. Superripe, smoky, roasted aromas of liqueur-like dark fruits, minerals and game; distinct surmaturite from the sandy soil near Chateau Rayas. Fat, sweet and lush; has the texture of liquid velvet. Wonderfully rich flavors of dark fruits and game. This captures the fat of this vintage in spades. Finishes with compelling aromatic quality and big, thoroughly ripe, spreading tannins. Has just enough acidity to maintain its balance. Very impressive.WS 87 (11/2002): Good finesse in this sleek, medium-bodied red. Black fruit, leather, game and smoke. Turns a bit chewy on the tannic finish. Bitter, dark chocolate flavors on the aftertaste. Best from 2004 through 2010. 665 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspWA 97 (2/2006): One of the vintage’s most profound wines, the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul has a dense purple color as well as a glorious nose of blackberries, licorice, smoke, and some roasted meats and dried herbs. Amazingly opulent, even voluptuous, with extraordinary purity, a huge tactile impression on the palate, but not heavy by any means, this is a stunning Chateauneuf du Pape from ancient vines made with 95% Grenache and the rest Cinsault and Syrah. Production is about 8,000 bottles, and the wine is bottled after spending its entire life in epoxy-lined tanks, so what one gets is the essence of the three separate terroirs it comes from – Les Serres, Guigasse, and La Crau. Anticipated maturity: now-2020+.RR 97 (12/2006): The 2003 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul offers up a stunning nose of raspberries, earth, licorice, spice, charred wood and a slightly roasted, meaty quality that I just cannot get enough of and causes my mouth to water. A medium to full bodied palate with a big, mouth coating, velvety texture that just grips your mouth. Gobs of sweet tannins show up on the incredibly long finish. JLL ****[*] (12/2006): Solid robe. Prolonged depth in bouquet - prune, violet, with an intense core - is still young. Gracious, lovely flavour, interesting - is very savoury and luxuriant. Mix of garrigue herbal tastes and violet, with chocolate aftertaste. Pretty wine. WS 95 (11/2005): Really silky for an '03, with gorgeous raspberry ganache and cassis fruit that glides atop grilled herb, mineral and tar flavors. Long, authoritative finish shows lots of grip and fruit. A powerful yet racy wine. This really rocks. Drink now through 2025. 1,000 cases made.IWC 92 (2/2006): Deep, bright, violet-tinged color. Powerful scents of kirsch, roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, bacon fat and candied violet. Fabulously rich and concentrated, with densely packed but pure and precise flavors of berries, plum, cherry cola, floral pastille and charred meat. This sees only 5% oak. Finishes ripe and thick, with very persistent roasted berry flavors.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspWA 97 (2/2006): One of the vintage’s most profound wines, the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul has a dense purple color as well as a glorious nose of blackberries, licorice, smoke, and some roasted meats and dried herbs. Amazingly opulent, even voluptuous, with extraordinary purity, a huge tactile impression on the palate, but not heavy by any means, this is a stunning Chateauneuf du Pape from ancient vines made with 95% Grenache and the rest Cinsault and Syrah. Production is about 8,000 bottles, and the wine is bottled after spending its entire life in epoxy-lined tanks, so what one gets is the essence of the three separate terroirs it comes from – Les Serres, Guigasse, and La Crau. Anticipated maturity: now-2020+.RR 97 (12/2006): The 2003 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul offers up a stunning nose of raspberries, earth, licorice, spice, charred wood and a slightly roasted, meaty quality that I just cannot get enough of and causes my mouth to water. A medium to full bodied palate with a big, mouth coating, velvety texture that just grips your mouth. Gobs of sweet tannins show up on the incredibly long finish. JLL ****[*] (12/2006): Solid robe. Prolonged depth in bouquet - prune, violet, with an intense core - is still young. Gracious, lovely flavour, interesting - is very savoury and luxuriant. Mix of garrigue herbal tastes and violet, with chocolate aftertaste. Pretty wine. WS 95 (11/2005): Really silky for an '03, with gorgeous raspberry ganache and cassis fruit that glides atop grilled herb, mineral and tar flavors. Long, authoritative finish shows lots of grip and fruit. A powerful yet racy wine. This really rocks. Drink now through 2025. 1,000 cases made.IWC 92 (2/2006): Deep, bright, violet-tinged color. Powerful scents of kirsch, roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, bacon fat and candied violet. Fabulously rich and concentrated, with densely packed but pure and precise flavors of berries, plum, cherry cola, floral pastille and charred meat. This sees only 5% oak. Finishes ripe and thick, with very persistent roasted berry flavors.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspWA 97 (2/2006): One of the vintage’s most profound wines, the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul has a dense purple color as well as a glorious nose of blackberries, licorice, smoke, and some roasted meats and dried herbs. Amazingly opulent, even voluptuous, with extraordinary purity, a huge tactile impression on the palate, but not heavy by any means, this is a stunning Chateauneuf du Pape from ancient vines made with 95% Grenache and the rest Cinsault and Syrah. Production is about 8,000 bottles, and the wine is bottled after spending its entire life in epoxy-lined tanks, so what one gets is the essence of the three separate terroirs it comes from – Les Serres, Guigasse, and La Crau. Anticipated maturity: now-2020+.RR 97 (12/2006): The 2003 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul offers up a stunning nose of raspberries, earth, licorice, spice, charred wood and a slightly roasted, meaty quality that I just cannot get enough of and causes my mouth to water. A medium to full bodied palate with a big, mouth coating, velvety texture that just grips your mouth. Gobs of sweet tannins show up on the incredibly long finish. JLL ****[*] (12/2006): Solid robe. Prolonged depth in bouquet - prune, violet, with an intense core - is still young. Gracious, lovely flavour, interesting - is very savoury and luxuriant. Mix of garrigue herbal tastes and violet, with chocolate aftertaste. Pretty wine. WS 95 (11/2005): Really silky for an '03, with gorgeous raspberry ganache and cassis fruit that glides atop grilled herb, mineral and tar flavors. Long, authoritative finish shows lots of grip and fruit. A powerful yet racy wine. This really rocks. Drink now through 2025. 1,000 cases made.IWC 92 (2/2006): Deep, bright, violet-tinged color. Powerful scents of kirsch, roasted coffee, bitter chocolate, bacon fat and candied violet. Fabulously rich and concentrated, with densely packed but pure and precise flavors of berries, plum, cherry cola, floral pastille and charred meat. This sees only 5% oak. Finishes ripe and thick, with very persistent roasted berry flavors.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspRR 97 (8/2010): One of the top wines of the vintage, the 2006 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de mon Aïeul is a quintessential Châteauneuf, boasting awesome aromatics of kirsch and blackberry liquor, garrigue, licorice, and minerals. Both decadent and fresh at the same time on the nose, the wine is full bodied and balanced on the palate, showing a gorgeous, silky texture, good acidity and a very long, focused finish. This is delicious now, but I think it will be even better in 4 to 6 years, and then drink well for 15+. In all the fuss over the ’07, don’t miss this wine!WA 96 (10/2008): A star of the vintage is the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Mon Aieul. It is hard to believe how great this wine has turned out to be. I called it last year, and I’m thrilled to see how utterly profound it is. Essentially very old vine Grenache from three different terroirs (the sands of Les Serres, the clay of Guignasse, and the limestone of La Crau), aged 80% in cement tanks and 20% in old barrels, it boasts a dense plum/purple color followed by a glorious bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, truffles, lavender, licorice, and spring flowers. The color is one of the darkest of the vintage, and the wine is extremely full-bodied and rich with intense levels of extract and tannin, but the latter is gorgeously sweet and well-integrated. Still young and primary, this 2006 will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age, and drink well for 15-20. WS 94 (11/2008): Silky and forward, with black tea, melted licorice, hoisin sauce, mocha and currant fruit flavors gliding along cocoa-tinged tannins. Additional hints of tobacco, chestnut and grilled beef flitter through the finish, which has solid, latent grip. Drink now through 2028. 1,500 cases made.IWC 93 (2/2009): Saturated red. Very complex nose displays vivid scents of raspberry, blackcurrant, olive and garrigue Deep, palate-coating red and dark berry flavors are complicated by smoky herbal and floral pastille qualities, with silky tannins adding focus. The floral notes linger seductively on the finish, which is pure, juicy and long. JR 17.5 (1/2008): Relatively light and sinewy on the nose for a special cuvée. Thick and dense and sweet on the palate though – some obvious oak influence on the finish. Cross between Châteauneuf and modern red wine. Grenache with 5% Syrah in cuve.JLL ***(*) (11/2007): Full, dark red; the bouquet has some southern airs – black fruit with a rich core, also olives and mocha, has coffee and some alcohol and power within. The palate starts with black fruits that are infused with a little pepper. The length is OK: this is not a big impact wine, but the fruit is full of charm – berry and ripe plums form the final taste, and violets, too. From late 2009.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspWA 100 (10/2009): There are 1,800 cases of the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Mon Aieul (100% tank-aged Grenache). It represents an awesome naked/virginal expression of Grenache from three vineyard parcels planted in sand, clay, and limestone soils. After tasting this wine on five separate occasions, I can state with certainty, it has the most saturated color of any Mon Aieul produced to date. Moreover, its perfume of blueberry liqueur, black raspberries, licorice, roasted meat juices, and lavender is incredible. Full-bodied power, a multilayered mouthfeel, tremendous purity, and awesome concentration put this wine in a class by itself. This sensational Chateauneuf du Pape is still very young, and 3-4 years of cellaring is required. It should be a modern day legend and last for nearly two decades. WS 94 (11/2009): Ripe but streamlined, with gorgeous layers of crushed black cherry, macerated currant and warm fig flavors that stretch over fresh minerality and a long finish filled with tobacco, spice and bittersweet cocoa. This has energy and drive to go with its ripeness. Best from 2010 through 2022. 1,500 cases made.IWC 94 (2/2010): Vivid ruby. Exotic, complex nose displays scents of raspberry, smoky herbs, anise and gingerbread. Supple red and dark berry preserve flavors are seamless and alluringly sweet, and nicely lifted by tangy minerality. Manages to be both rich and lively, finishing with impressive clarity and persistent spiciness.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspWA 100 (10/2009): There are 1,800 cases of the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Mon Aieul (100% tank-aged Grenache). It represents an awesome naked/virginal expression of Grenache from three vineyard parcels planted in sand, clay, and limestone soils. After tasting this wine on five separate occasions, I can state with certainty, it has the most saturated color of any Mon Aieul produced to date. Moreover, its perfume of blueberry liqueur, black raspberries, licorice, roasted meat juices, and lavender is incredible. Full-bodied power, a multilayered mouthfeel, tremendous purity, and awesome concentration put this wine in a class by itself. This sensational Chateauneuf du Pape is still very young, and 3-4 years of cellaring is required. It should be a modern day legend and last for nearly two decades. WS 94 (11/2009): Ripe but streamlined, with gorgeous layers of crushed black cherry, macerated currant and warm fig flavors that stretch over fresh minerality and a long finish filled with tobacco, spice and bittersweet cocoa. This has energy and drive to go with its ripeness. Best from 2010 through 2022. 1,500 cases made.IWC 94 (2/2010): Vivid ruby. Exotic, complex nose displays scents of raspberry, smoky herbs, anise and gingerbread. Supple red and dark berry preserve flavors are seamless and alluringly sweet, and nicely lifted by tangy minerality. Manages to be both rich and lively, finishing with impressive clarity and persistent spiciness.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspWA 98 (2/2006): The limited cuvee 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres, which is aged 40% in tank and 60% in one-, two-, and three-year-old barrels as well as large demi-muids, is essentially the same as Mon Aieul, but additional press wine is added. This beefs the wine up to an even more extraordinarily concentrated character. This is another of the Chateauneuf du Papes of the vintage, a wine of remarkable length and prodigious levels of richness. It is no wimpy wine at 16.5% alcohol, but you would never know that from tasting it. Dense purple to the rim, with a huge nose of scorched earth, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, creme de cassis, roasted meat juices, and a hint of Provencal herbs interwoven with licorice and a touch of balsamic, it is voluptuously textured, with striking body, low acidity, and amazing concentration. This fabulous bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape should drink well for 20+ years.RR 96 (8/2010): A spectacular wine that seems to be on a relatively fast evolutionary track, the 2003 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères sports knockout aromatics of blackberry liqueur, plum, roasted meats, beef blood, and licorice-infused herbs. There’s fantastic complexity and the wine evolves over the evening, gaining freshness, depth and overall richness. Truly stunning on the palate, it is full bodied with a gorgeously smooth, balanced texture, a rocking mid-palate and a very long, exceptional finish that seems to go on and on. This is neither tight nor unyielding and there’s a touch of maturity to the aromas, all leading me to believe that this should be drunk over the next 5 to 8 years. IWC 94 (12/2008): Dark ruby-red. Powerful, strongly scented and exotic on the nose. Raspberry and dark chocolate aromas are complicated by mace and a wild note of blood orange. Creamy red and dark berry flavors are enlivened by tangy minerals, with the wine's tannins fully absorbed. The orange and chocolate qualities linger on the long, spicy finish. This would be great with a chocolate-based mole sauce. I scored this 94 on release and will stick with that rating. WS 93 (11/2005): Toast dominates right now, though this has alluring spice, black cherry, mocha and plum sauce flavors followed by a long, vibrant, minerally finish. Beautifully sculpted and has lots in reserve, but seems more like power for power's sake, with the toast really dominant. The Cuvée de mon Aïeul is the smart buy. Best from 2007 through 2020. 500 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspRR 98 (10/2007): The 2005 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve des Deux Freres is a rock star wine that's built for the long haul with massive amounts of rich dark fruit, acidity and tannin structure. Cassis, black berry and even some blueberry notes are mixed with scored earth, ash and earth aromas on the nose. The palate is full bodied with rich fruit, high acidity and quite a bit of sweet tannins on the back end that give the finish some kick ass length. It's still drinkable at the moment due to the depth and richness of the fruit but if this closes down, it will be painful so I'd drink now or in 10+ years. WS 97 (10/2007): Formidably dense and structured, with lots of fig paste and currant confiture, layered with espresso, bittersweet cocoa, bramble and hoisin sauce notes. The long, tarry finish really pounds it out authoritatively, with fruit and minerality to burn. Has the power of the previous vintages, but with far better definition. Best from 2009 through 2030. 500 cases made. JLL ***** (6/2008): Dark red-black; oak charcoal leads the nose, the inlay behind reflecting licorice, smoke, burnt airs - it is a beefy, he-man nose. The palate has a broad shape, with plenty of stuffing. The oak asserts from half way over its prune, plum flavours, and there is a sweet date taste late in the piece. Wide wine, whose power is well wrapped. It is a little bit cellar constructed. Has a lot of tannin and needs time. I find it less impressive than on first tasting before bottling - it has ingested vintage qualities of reticence and toughness and needs to find its feminine side. From 2011. IWC 96 (2/2008): Inky ruby. Smoky raspberry and creme de cassis aromas, with a surreal array of spice, floral and mineral qualities building in the glass. Palate-saturating red berry preserve flavors show a liqueur-like sweetness and viscosity but also remarkable mineral lift, finishing broad, sappy and with amazing persistence. One of my favorite wines of the vintage. "This is a selection; it's not from a particular plot," Thierry Usseglio told me.WA 95+ (10/2007): The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres, which is aged in one-, two-, and three-year-old small barrels and larger demi-muids, is 100% Grenache in 2005. Dense purple to the rim, the wine displays superb concentration, with notes of creosote, blackberry, coffee, pepper, earth, meats, and smoke. A wine of massive intensity, fabulous purity, and a thick, unctuous texture, the tannins do kick in at the end, so this wine will probably require 5-7 years of bottle age and drink well for close to three decades. It does have the requisite concentration to balance out the wine’s structure.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.aspRR 96-98 (8/2010): As with the Cuvée de mon Aïeul, the final blend is yet to have been made, so I was able to taste through 4 separate samples of the 2009 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Deux Frères. Certainly, how the blend is made will dictate the final wine, but if raw components count for anything, this will be a monumental wine. As always, this cuvee sees the most new barrique but unlike vintages prior to ’05, the cuvee does not see any press wine. Despite the new barrique, none of the samples showed overt wood and the fruit was stunning. JLL **** (3/2011): (To be bottled next month) Full red robe, black tints. Smoky black fruit, leather, raisin – is punchy. Smoky-oaky, crisp start to palate, which holds wiry tannins, has stiff moments with gras present, chalky late notes and drive in it. There is richness at the end, which reflects Christmas foods and times. From 2014.WA 93-95 (10/2010): The limited production 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Deux Freres (400 cases) is 100% Grenache aged 40% in old barrels, 30% in tank, and 30% in new oak casks. A spicy, full-bodied, powerful effort, it is built for 20+ years of cellaring. The color is a saturated ruby/purple and the nose offers up scents of camphor, toast, blackberry and blueberry liqueur, incense, licorice, truffle and spice box. The wine’s concentration and superb intensity absorb the oak in a shockingly easy fashion. This classic, massive, rich Chateauneuf du Pape needs 2-4 years of bottle age and should drink well over the following two decades. IWC 92-94 (4/2011): Vivid purple. Black raspberry, cherry-vanilla, floral oils and a note of exotic spices on the perfumed nose. Suave, vinous and very sweet, marked by a solid core of minerality that gives the wine's densely packed raspberry and mulberry flavors impressive energy and clarity. Firm tannins add grip to a very long, smoky finish. WS 93 (6/2011): This has a touch more muscle and drive than many of its peers, with smoldering tobacco and dark espresso notes leading the way for a core of crushed plum, braised fig and steeped black currant notes. The long finish has lots of iron-tinged grip. Best from 2012 through 2023.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/PierreUsseglio.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AlainVerset.aspWS 93 (2010): The power of the vintage takes a back seat to precision here, with mouthwatering pomegranate, damson plum and black cherry fruit flavors that race along, supported by riveting acidity that lets the background notes of lavender and iron sail through the finish. Best from 2011 through 2021.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/AlainVerset.aspWA 94 (10/2011): The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape from the domaine has turned out much better than I predicted last year. A blend of 70% Grenache and the rest Syrah, Counoise, Mourvedre and Cinsault from the very northern sectors of Chateauneuf du Pape, on terraces just north of Chateau Cabrieres and Domaine Mas de Boislauzon, this deep purple wine has a gorgeous nose of fresh blueberries and kirsch, with almost meaty, chewy richness, loads of glycerin, full body, stunning concentration and purity. It was bottled in May and should have 15 or more years of aging potential. IWC 92 (2/2012): Vivid ruby. Powerful aromas of black and blue fruits, lavender and Indian spices, with an exotic touch of apricot. Deeply pitched blackberry and blueberry flavors show excellent concentration and vibrancy. Finishes sweet and seamless, with the blackberry and floral notes repeating.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaVieilleJulienne.aspWA 90 (12/2001): A stunningly beautiful effort, the 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape offers a dense, saturated ruby color as well as a gorgeous nose of cedar, spice box, cherries, kirsch liqueur, and pepper. Expansive, full-bodied, lush, and seductive/sexy, this voluptuously-textured, long Chateauneuf reveals a seamlessness typical of the vintage's finest efforts. Drink it over the next 10-15 years. WS 93 (9/2001): Supple, balanced and subtle. Traditional Châteauneuf that emphasizes the sweet, ripe fruit, mineral character of the land, and roasted, plummy notes. Medium- to full-bodied, it's delicious from start to finish. Drink now through 2010.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaVieilleJulienne.aspWA 96+ (10/2008): A candidate for the wine of the vintage, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve exhibits an opaque purple color, peppery, spicy, earthy notes, full-bodied intensity, and outstanding concentration, purity, and length. It is another sensational wine, but finding a few bottles will be difficult given the microscopic production. It should drink nicely for 20+ years, atypically long for a 2006. WS 96 (12/2009): This shows impressive depth and power for the vintage, delivering layer upon layer of mulled spice, crushed currant and plum fruit, with anise, tobacco, graphite and violet notes, all of which stretch out through the long, racy, sweet earth-filled finish. This domaine is quietly producing some awesome wines. Drink now through 2024. 230 cases made. JLL ***** (11/2007): Very dark, sustained black robe with mauve present. Oily, inky nose, with an even consistency: has prune and raisin with a lot of suggestive surround. Even though the bouquet is low-key today, it is broad and potentially imposing, and very young just now. The palate carries a very full package of black fruits and berries – comes with real length and purpose, and with tannins well present – the tannins are live, ripe and well-defined. Is not put forward with over-ripeness, thank goodness, which means that it is more decisive than many wines of the Prestige category. Persists all over the palate. Deals out a late burst of laurel, garrigue, thyme and spice. Is a mouth-coating wine, but is not soaking nor oppressive. From 2012, for instance. Maybe drink with simple dishes because it is so rich – reach for the lamb cutlets or the guinea fowl in a chestnut sauce rather than the wild boar. Is over 16° but does not show this. Close to a six star status.RR 94 (8/2009): Certainly one of the top wines of the vintage, the 2006 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape is extremely pure and precise with black cherry, cassis, licorice and graphite aromas leading into a structured, edgy palate. Silky, fresh and balanced, the purity here is certainly notable and this should age beautifully over the next 20 years.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaVieilleJulienne.aspWA 97 (10/2011): The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve, which was made from frighteningly low yields, has a whopping 16.5% alcohol, compared to the 2010's 16.4, yet it is not even noticeable, given the luxurious concentration and extraordinary depth and richness this wine possesses. A phenomenal example of opulence, super concentration, old vine viticulture, and impeccable winemaking, this black/blue/purple wine displays notes of spring flowers, graphite, blueberries, blackberries, licorice and some charcoal notes, even though it is aged totally in old wood foudres. Given its opulence, it can be drunk relatively early on, but this wine will keep for15-20 years, based on how slowly vintages such as 1999 and 2000 are aging.IWC 94 (1/2012): Glass-staining purple. High-pitched, spicy aromas of raspberry liqueur, potpourri, garrigue and white pepper. At once deep and lively, with impressive energy and silky texture to the sweet red fruit and floral pastille flavors. The spicy quality carries through on the tactile, palate-staining finish.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaVieilleJulienne.aspWA 96 (2/2004): The 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (400 cases produced) will be the last vintage of this cuvee. A fabulous wine fashioned from 50-100-year old vines (80% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvedre), its dense purple color is accompanied by gorgeous aromas of blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, minerals, and kirsch. As it sits in the glass, notions of pepper and spice also emerge from this unevolved, backward Chateauneuf. It has high levels of extract and richness as well as formidable tannin. The superb purity, immense fruit, and unbridled power of this extraordinary wine should result in something magical in about 7-10 years. However, this is not one of the more forward 2001 Chateauneuf du Papes, so buyers will need patience. Anticipated maturity: 2007-2022+.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdelaVieilleJulienne.aspWA 95 (1/2003): The 1998, a classic in the making, is, along with the 1990, one of the two finest Vieux Donjons I have tasted. The backward 1998 offers aromas of incense, roasted herbs, lavender, licorice, and kirsch liqueur in a full-bodied, sweet, expansive, structured style. It should last another 15-20 years.IWC 93 (1/2001): Deep red. Spicy, deeply pitched aromas of fresh raspberry, pepper, cinnamon, gunflint and game. Thick, silky and compellingly sweet in the mouth, with liqueur-like flavors of raspberry, blackberry and game. Superripe but not over the top. Finishes very long, with fine, dusty tannins. Not the most complex or primary example of the vintage, but this could not be mistaken for anything but ripe-vintage Chateauneuf du Pape.WS 97 (12/2000): An explosive and racy Châteauneuf, bursting with roasted game, wild berry, grilled bread, dark chocolate and espresso character. Ripe and sweet-tasting, with enough opulent fruit to balance the firm tannin structure that rises like an impenetrable wall on the spectacular finish. Best from 2005 through 2020.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeVieuxDonjon.aspJLL ****[*] (3/2011): (Barrel, to be bottled in 2 weeks) good, full robe. The nose is thorough, has a latent sweet width, a shiny front, reflects griottes or soaked cherries, red cherry. The palate is round, centric, has a raspberry fullness – the concentration of the vintage is here, and it shows slight herbal notes, baked stones. A wine of good, authentic features – it is no hurry. It ends tightly, is firm and flinty there. From 2013. WA 94 (10/2011): The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape is dominated by Grenache with major amounts of Mourvedre, Syrah and other authorized varietals. Its dense ruby/plum color is followed by aromas of smoked meats, roasted Provencal herbs, a gamy character and lots of kirsch, black currant and blue fruits. Rich and full-bodied, it is softer than most young vintages of Vieux Donjon tend to be, and should drink well for 12-15 years. RR 93+ (9/2011): A very classically styled and structured wine, the 2009 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a blend of 80% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre, delivers captivating and slightly feral aromatics of garrigue, licorice, white pepper, leather, black cherry, and raspberry styled fruits on the nose. Readers looking for a textbook example of CDP for blind tastings couldn’t do much better than this wine and it screams southern Rhône on the nose as well as the palate. Medium to full-bodied and structured, with a clean, focused texture, medium concentration, and a solid, tannic finish, this might just have more structure than fruit and depth through the middle. It did fill in and evolve over the 4 days I had the bottle open, so I’m bullishly optimistic here and would give bottles 5-7 years of bottle age and then drink over the following decade. However, if you don’t mind tannin, don’t hesitate to open this over the near term as the bouquet is rocking. WS 93 (9/2011): Rock-solid, with a big, winey core of cassis, blackberry paste and crushed fig fruit pushed by smoldering tobacco, juniper, mesquite and warm, bittersweet cocoa notes. The muscular finish has lots of grip in reserve. Best from 2013 through 2024. IWC 91-93 (4/2011): Bright violet. Deep aromas of cherry, black raspberry, garrigue and earth. Broad, spicy and sweet, with a velvety texture and lush dark berry and lavender pastille flavors. Finishes sappy and sweet, featuring fine-grained tannins and excellent thrust. This alluring wine looks like it will be approachable young.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeVieuxDonjon.aspJLL ****[*] (3/2011): (Barrel, to be bottled in 2 weeks) good, full robe. The nose is thorough, has a latent sweet width, a shiny front, reflects griottes or soaked cherries, red cherry. The palate is round, centric, has a raspberry fullness – the concentration of the vintage is here, and it shows slight herbal notes, baked stones. A wine of good, authentic features – it is no hurry. It ends tightly, is firm and flinty there. From 2013. WA 94 (10/2011): The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape is dominated by Grenache with major amounts of Mourvedre, Syrah and other authorized varietals. Its dense ruby/plum color is followed by aromas of smoked meats, roasted Provencal herbs, a gamy character and lots of kirsch, black currant and blue fruits. Rich and full-bodied, it is softer than most young vintages of Vieux Donjon tend to be, and should drink well for 12-15 years. RR 93+ (9/2011): A very classically styled and structured wine, the 2009 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a blend of 80% Grenache and the rest Syrah and Mourvèdre, delivers captivating and slightly feral aromatics of garrigue, licorice, white pepper, leather, black cherry, and raspberry styled fruits on the nose. Readers looking for a textbook example of CDP for blind tastings couldn’t do much better than this wine and it screams southern Rhône on the nose as well as the palate. Medium to full-bodied and structured, with a clean, focused texture, medium concentration, and a solid, tannic finish, this might just have more structure than fruit and depth through the middle. It did fill in and evolve over the 4 days I had the bottle open, so I’m bullishly optimistic here and would give bottles 5-7 years of bottle age and then drink over the following decade. However, if you don’t mind tannin, don’t hesitate to open this over the near term as the bouquet is rocking. WS 93 (9/2011): Rock-solid, with a big, winey core of cassis, blackberry paste and crushed fig fruit pushed by smoldering tobacco, juniper, mesquite and warm, bittersweet cocoa notes. The muscular finish has lots of grip in reserve. Best from 2013 through 2024. IWC 91-93 (4/2011): Bright violet. Deep aromas of cherry, black raspberry, garrigue and earth. Broad, spicy and sweet, with a velvety texture and lush dark berry and lavender pastille flavors. Finishes sappy and sweet, featuring fine-grained tannins and excellent thrust. This alluring wine looks like it will be approachable young.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/LeVieuxDonjon.aspWS 94 (5/2007): Pure and silky, with raspberry, cocoa, truffle and mineral notes that glide along the fresh acidity. The long, silky finish lets the fruit and minerality hang nicely, with garrigue in the background. Should blossom in the cellar. Best from 2008 through 2025. 15,000 cases made.JR 18 (11/2010): Very rich and subtle - like a refreshing cup of tea. Tannins nicely rounded - lovely balance. Bit of alcohol on the finish but a great texture. And some freshness. WA 92 (2/2007): Certainly Vieux Telegraphe has acquitted itself well in these two vintages with the 2004 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape boasting big, smoky, peppery, garrigue notes intermixed with black cherry, licorice, smoke, and sweet currants. The wine is ripe and full-bodied with decent acidity and some mineral notes. Daniel Brunier stated it actually tips the scales at 15% alcohol, which is high for this vintage. It should drink well for 12-15 more years. IWC 92 (2/2007): Dark red. A strong floral quality accents ripe blackberry, kirsch and licorice aromas. Very sweet and impressively suave, with ripe cherry and dark berry flavors nicely framed by supple tannins. Finishes long and juicy, with terrific staying power. JLL **** (1/2008): Just makes the 4 stars: matt red robe; the nose is a bit square, low-key, shows black fruits, pebbly leather airs, and after air and warmth on comes the old French favourite, their Zan licorice. It is heading for some mineral, damp leaf, also raspberry aromas, and reflects its vintage with those damp notes. The palate has a tight weave, good core richness, with kick at the end, a last minute offer from its Mourvèdre. There is sinew in its outer casing, red fruits within. Quite a punchy wine - its tannins mean it should be left until 2011.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeVieuxTelegraphe.aspWA 95+ (10/2007): The 2005 Vieux Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape, this estate’s strongest vintage since 1998, has put on serious weight since last year. Dense ruby/purple-colored with an exquisite perfume of black raspberries, kirsch, ground pepper, and incense, this full-bodied, powerful, concentrated wine reveals fabulous purity as well as a finish that lasts over 45 seconds. Purchasers of this beauty will need patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2025.WS 95 (4/2008): This is dense and chewy, but not tiring to drink, thanks to fresh acidity and an edgy, gravelly feel that drives the blackberry, currant and sweet spice notes. The long finish has great briary grip, with notes of garrigue and hot stone checking in. Best from 2010 through 2030. 15,830 cases made.IWC 93 (2/2008): Deep, bright red. Explosively perfumed nose offers seductive raspberry, kirsch and floral scents, with a suave mineral underpinning. Extremely fresh, with precise red fruit and floral pastille flavors strongly reminiscent of a broad-shouldered pinot noir. Finishes with outstanding clarity, sweetness and persistence.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeVieuxTelegraphe.aspJLL ****** (3/2007): Plum robe; great, broad appeal on a classy bouquet - a little game, beef stock, prune and chocolate-raisin, fruit and nut. Great, suave appeal on the palate - holds its flavour really well, flourishes round, elegant southern appeal. Is an STGT wine - is very faithful to its place. The length is striking, and the clarity good. There is a sprinkle of herbs on the aftertaste. Grand Vin - shows the richness that Châteauneuf-du-Pape possesses, which the rest of the South of France never achieves so thoroughly and comfortably. Around the 14.7°mark. "We harvested lots of grapes this year - 35 hl/ha. This was a bit blocked a year ago, and is now starting to come along," Frédéric Brunier.WS 94 (9/2007): This has always been one of the harder-edged wines of the vintage, but it is showing some signs of softening. The color remains dark, with aromas of grilled herb, tobacco and beef leading the way for currant, chestnut and garrigue notes that are carried by the prominent tannin structure. The chewy, mouthfilling finish is starting to let some sweet flesh come out from behind the iron and stone notes. Still needs time, but this is rock solid.--1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape retrospective. Best from 2009 through 2027. 16,665 cases made. WA 95 (6/2010): Between 1978 and 2007, this 1998 is the greatest Vieux Telegraphe that was produced. It has taken a good decade for this wine to shed its tannins and come out of a dormant, closed period. It has finally emerged, and notes of iodine, seaweed, black currants, incense, and sweet cherries as well as hot rocks jump from the glass of this full-bodied, powerful wine. It possesses considerable elegance and purity, along with loads of raspberries and incense, in a round, juicy, rich style that is just emerging from the closet. The wine is still youthful and a pre-adolescent in terms of its ultimate evolution. Approachable now, it will continue to evolve for another 15-20 years. Bravo!IWC 90+ (1/2001): Good full medium ruby. Complex nose combines black fruits, nuts and flowers; strong peppery, vegetal suggestion of young syrah. Quite tight and rather powerfully styled, with an herbaceous suggestion of youthful syrah. Like the '99, this is tannic, but here the tannins are sweeter and more thoroughly buffered by fruit. Built for aging; may ultimately merit a higher score.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeVieuxTelegraphe.aspJLL ****** (3/2007): Plum robe; great, broad appeal on a classy bouquet - a little game, beef stock, prune and chocolate-raisin, fruit and nut. Great, suave appeal on the palate - holds its flavour really well, flourishes round, elegant southern appeal. Is an STGT wine - is very faithful to its place. The length is striking, and the clarity good. There is a sprinkle of herbs on the aftertaste. Grand Vin - shows the richness that Châteauneuf-du-Pape possesses, which the rest of the South of France never achieves so thoroughly and comfortably. Around the 14.7°mark. "We harvested lots of grapes this year - 35 hl/ha. This was a bit blocked a year ago, and is now starting to come along," Frédéric Brunier.WS 94 (9/2007): This has always been one of the harder-edged wines of the vintage, but it is showing some signs of softening. The color remains dark, with aromas of grilled herb, tobacco and beef leading the way for currant, chestnut and garrigue notes that are carried by the prominent tannin structure. The chewy, mouthfilling finish is starting to let some sweet flesh come out from behind the iron and stone notes. Still needs time, but this is rock solid.--1998 Châteauneuf-du-Pape retrospective. Best from 2009 through 2027. 16,665 cases made. WA 95 (6/2010): Between 1978 and 2007, this 1998 is the greatest Vieux Telegraphe that was produced. It has taken a good decade for this wine to shed its tannins and come out of a dormant, closed period. It has finally emerged, and notes of iodine, seaweed, black currants, incense, and sweet cherries as well as hot rocks jump from the glass of this full-bodied, powerful wine. It possesses considerable elegance and purity, along with loads of raspberries and incense, in a round, juicy, rich style that is just emerging from the closet. The wine is still youthful and a pre-adolescent in terms of its ultimate evolution. Approachable now, it will continue to evolve for another 15-20 years. Bravo!IWC 90+ (1/2001): Good full medium ruby. Complex nose combines black fruits, nuts and flowers; strong peppery, vegetal suggestion of young syrah. Quite tight and rather powerfully styled, with an herbaceous suggestion of youthful syrah. Like the '99, this is tannic, but here the tannins are sweeter and more thoroughly buffered by fruit. Built for aging; may ultimately merit a higher score.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeVieuxTelegraphe.aspWS 91 (12/2001): Beautiful Rhône red. Full-bodied, rich and ripe, with plum and blackberry notes and some real tannic grip. Mineral edge adds complexity to this impressive Châteauneuf. Built for the cellar. Best from 2003 through 2010. 16,665 cases made.IWC 90 (2/2002): Bright red-ruby. Smoky, complex nose of dark berries, minerals, gunflint and roasted meat. Full, sweet and deep; not especially lively in the middle today but offers very good density and richness for the vintage, not to mention an extroverted personality. Then finishes with a note of almost mentholated freshness and building but broad tannins. Should develop gracefully in bottle.WA 88 (12/2001): The elegant, restrained 1999 Vieux-Telegraphe Chateauneuf du Pape is a stylish effort. Dark ruby-colored, with a bouquet of sweet black fruit intertwined with mineral, licorice, and resin, it is layered, long, and deep, with bright acidity as well as firm tannin in the finish. Cellar it for several years and drink it over the following 12-15.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeVieuxTelegraphe.aspWA 91 (2/2003): The elegant 2000 Vieux Telegraphe La Crau possesses 14.8% alcohol, along with a deep ruby/purple color, charming, rich, fruitiness, and firm tannin in the finish. With loads of freshness, copious quantities of pepper, seaweed, and black fruit characteristics, and a distinctive minerality, this full-bodied, sweet 2000 requires 2-3 years of cellaring; it should age well for 15-16 years. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2018. WS 85 (11/2002): Intense and flavorful, but not very charming or balanced. This is a masculine, muscular and firm wine, medium-bodied and dark-colored, with lots of black fruit, cedar and tobacco box notes. Turns very chewy and tough on the finish, but with time it might soften. Best from 2005 through 2010. 15,000 cases made.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/DomdeVieuxTelegraphe.aspJLL ****[*] (11/2009): Yellow robe; interesting nose, with good, quietly brooding depth - it shows peach and apricot, dried fruits and honey. The palate is wide and well filled - this has a good "feet on the ground" nature. Of all Frankie's wines, it possesses the most heart, and has a red wine structure. It is nicely solid, and is a real fine example of a keeping Condrieu. A serious wine with potential complexity to come. It ends calmly, with no excess pushing, its balance is on the mark. 2023-25. "I give it 15 to 20 years- its minerality will mount," F.Villard.JR 17 (11/2009): Scented spicy white fruits, broad in the mouth, creamy but with an attractive savoury mineral depth and length.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FrancoisVillard.aspWS 92 (12/2005): Gorgeous nose of freshly cut cantaloupe, with papayalike texture to the star fruit, almond, lemon curd and floral flavors. Long, creamy, elegant finish ripples with fruit and mineral notes. Drink now through 2006. 50 cases imported.JR 17.5/20 (11/2005): Much more my style with racy acidity and less obvious sweetness on the palate than the Terrasses du Pilat. Having followed Villard for so long (the late Adam Bancroft introduced me, I think) I am delighted to see him go from strength to strength. You can find the Vins de Vienne he makes with Gaillard and Cuilleron from Goedhuis in London.IWC 89 (2/2005): Pale yellow color. Fresh, restrained aromas of peach, ginger, quinine and licorice; less exotic than the 2003 Terrasses du Palat. More shapely flavors of peach, flowers and spices. This has good definition and cut. Betrays the vintage only with its slight bitter edge on the back.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FrancoisVillard.aspJR 17 (11/2009): Classic Condrieu nose of minerally apricot and almond. Fragrant and alluring. Surprisingly soft on the palate. Silky, seductive in a conservative way, and a touch of spice lingers around your gums. Finishes tight and fresh and really quite spritely for Viognier.JLL **[*] (11/2009): Mild yellow colour; pretty, calm, lime and brioche bread nose with a touch of bonbon in it - this is a free vintage, no clammy stuff, but there are shades of apricot and honey. Has a pear flavour with tight textures and a grip from its oak at the end. There is intrinsic chew here, its length is correct. It is quiet now. From mid 2010 - decant this. "It is an aperitif style wine," F.Villard. 7,000 bottles this year.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FrancoisVillard.aspJLL **[*] (11/2009): Dark tints, full red robe; broad, rather obscure nose with a little floral ease in it - it suggests soaked cherries, griottes and ripeness, and also has a rather rock-chiseled nature also. The palate is bundled up, enclosed. Black fruit, prune and berry sit inside the palate, with a gradual release of mineral that brings more tang to its flavour. Ends on a pebbly note, and is grainy there for now. Not bad. It needs time to create a more generous finish. From mid-2011.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FrancoisVillard.asphttp://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FrancoisVillard.aspJLL *[*] (11/2009): From half bottle: mild yellow; the nose is forward - has a fresh outer, an oily inner with a crisp top note, mild haxelnut in the air. The palate starts briskly, runs staright out of the gate. It pauses, then regains length and gras, also poise. Has dried fruits, apple flavours, but I find it edgy for now - it needs 9 months to settle. A little laye honey on this. 13°.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FrancoisVillard.aspWS 91 (12/2009): Enticing, with star fruit, melon, creamed white peach and persimmon notes backed by a lengthy, minerally finish. This has weight and elegance. Drink now. 595 cases made.JLL ** (11/2009): Solid, broad nose that gives hazelnut and toast, prominent air of dried fruits. The palate is manly, tight knit, ends on a saline feel, a grounded, full wine with the oak finishing it off.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/FrancoisVillard.asp