The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Generations (Gaston Philippe) is a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre from 60- to 105-year-old vines, with 80% aged in new oak casks and the balance in older barrels. As one might expect, it is modern in style yet fabulously concentrated displaying notes of soy, creme de cassis, white chocolate, new saddle leather, graphite and spice box. Extremely full-bodied, dense and heady, this massive Chateauneuf will need 8-10 years of cellaring (my 1998 Cuvee des Generations is just beginning to show some maturity). This stunning 2010 should last 30-35 years, and if you are laying down any wine for your children, this might be a consideration. One of the largest estates in Chateauneuf du Pape, Chateau de la Gardine (which has a history dating back to the late 1600s) owns over 120 acres in Chateauneuf du Pape, where they enjoy a long track record of exceptional success. Remarkably, the Brunel family that owns this estate has been vineyard owners since 1670, acquiring La Gardine in 1945. Little has changed in the thirty years I have been covering Chateauneuf du Pape other than the fact that they have introduced a totally unsulphured cuvee, Peur Bleu, and their blockbuster l’Immortelle. The intention is to use small oak casks and make a more modern-styled wine with aging potential of three decades or more. Despite the use of their own bottle form (that varies considerably from the type of bottle used by most Chateauneuf du Pape producers), they age the l’Immortelle in a truncated oak vat and the unsulphured cuvee in 600-liter demi-muids. The 2010s are of high quality across the board. Except for the Traditional cuvees, they are long-term propositions for serious connoisseurs who have the necessary wine storage facilities to give these wines some time to come into full maturity. Importer: Shaw-Ross, Miramar, FL; tel. (954) 430-5036.