New Rhone wines in the Flickinger Fine Wines inventory http://www.flickingerwines.com/wineregions/rhone.asp WA 98 (10/2008): The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is one of the two or three candidates for the wine of the vintage. An extraordinarily great wine, the 2006 is far superior to the 2005, which was amazing, and while made in a different style, is as great as the 2003, and such legends as 1990 and 1978. Fashioned from a minuscule 21 hectoliters per hectare, and tipping the scales at 15.2% natural alcohol, the 2006 boasts a dense ruby/purple color to the rim, in addition to an extraordinary bouquet of melted licorice, spring flowers, raspberries, black currants, spice box, and earth. In the mouth, it is utterly profound – full-bodied and multidimensional with astonishing purity, length, equilibrium, and intensity. This is a superb vintage for the Avrils, and Vincent deserves huge accolades for producing a wine of such incredible intensity and complexity. Think of Clos des Papes as a Chateauneuf du Pape with the complexity of a top-notch grand cru Burgundy from the Cote de Nuits.WS 95 (11/2008): This has terrific purity, with a stunningly pure beam of cassis holding sway over fruitcake, melted licorice and incense notes. Shows impressive density for the vintage, but this is suave, elegant and seamless through the finish, with terrific underlying minerality. Best from 2009 through 2030. 7,165 cases made.IWC 95 (2/2009): Bright ruby. Highly expressive aromas of raspberry, cherry, lavender, smoked meat and minerals. Racy and sharply focused, with juicy red and dark berry flavors, silky texture and a gentle candied floral quality. Impressively pure and balanced, with outstanding finishing clarity and lingering sweetness. Does this ever really finish? By no means a blockbuster, but delivers very serious palate impact.http://www.flickingerwines.com/growers/ClosdesPapes.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 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.asp