Showing even better than when I tasted it for the 2004 retrospective earlier this year, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is about as rich and textured as they come in the vintage. Blackberry, licorice-laced cherries, sugared garrigue and crushed flowers all emerge from this full-bodied, supple and yet beautifully balanced wine. As with the Chaupin, it’s entering its prime drink window, and will continue to evolve gracefully. I’ll say again though, it’s drinking beautifully now. One of the benchmark estates in the Rhone Valley, Domaine de la Janasse is run by the talented brother/sister pair of Christophe and Isabelle Sabon. Located in the northeastern portion of the region, near Courthezon, they produce an incredible range of wines, from their Vin de Pays, to their Cotes du Rones and world-class Chateauneuf du Papes, all of which are noteworthy. For this tasting, we started with the 1990s and went up through their 2007s. At this point, the ‘98s through the 2004s are all in varying degrees of full maturity, and drinking brilliantly. In addition, it’s also worth pointing out that these wines have the fruit and texture to dish out immense pleasure in their youth, so don’t be afraid to crack these new releases either. Both of the 1999s were drinking beautifully, and are up near the top of the vintage. Moving to the 2000s, I found that from this point forward, the wines started to show more freshness and vibrancy. Looking specifically at this vintage, these are still mature wines, yet they’re drinking beautifully. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Selections, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565

Possibly better, but certainly not as charming as the Chaupin or the regular bottling of Chateauneuf, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes has the most tannin and rigidity at present, and needs 3-4 years of bottle age before it will be drinkable. It should keep for 15 or so years. Dense dark purple to the rim with a beautiful nose of flowers, blueberries, black raspberries and cherries, this is intense, full-bodied wine with moderately high tannins and brilliant symmetry as well as purity. Year in and year out, this is certainly one of the dozen or so top wines of Chateauneuf du Pape, and 2004 is no exception. Over the last decade Domaine de la Janasse has become one of the half dozen or so finest estates in Chateauneuf du Pape. However, they also produce an impressive range of Cotes du Rhones. This was also one of the few dozen or so estates that had exceptional success in 2003, a challenging vintage but, for those who did it right, some monumental wines. Proprietor Christophe Sabon compares 2004 with 1999, but with slightly more fruit and power.Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565