The limited cuvee of 100% old vine Roussanne (50% vinified in barrel and 50% in tank), the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape blanc Vieilles Vignes is an extraordinary wine. Since the debut vintage in 1986, I have been unable to figure out how to predict this cuvee’s aging potential, but I tend to agree with most sommeliers who feel this wine needs to be drunk in its first 4-6 years of life, then not touched again until age 12-15. It is so amazing, I usually drink it as quickly as I can get my hands on a few bottles. The sensational 2006 possesses a wonderful honeysuckle note interwoven with marmalade, tropical fruit, peaches, and buttery pastry characteristics, and zesty acidity despite a thick, full-bodied, rich texture. It is difficult to find a better white Chateauneuf du Pape than Beaucastel. Much like their reds, their whites are made in a style that is atypical for the appellation. It is put through full malolactic, and one-third is barrel fermented, then blended with the two-thirds that is aged in tank. Extraordinarily rich and honeyed, it is ideal for drinking with intensely flavored culinary dishes. Beaucastel and its subsidiary wines marketed under the Perrin et Fils moniker are consistently among the bright shining stars of France. I have been visiting this estate for nearly thirty years, and over that time I have seen all the elements of what makes wines great – an incredible respect for the vineyards, a conscientious, uncompromising work ethic, and extraordinary passion for gentle handling of fruit from their sites. Brothers Jean-Pierre and Francois Perrin seem to be gradually inching closer to retirement as their sons take more and more of a front row seat in the running of this outstanding estate. This is a marvelous portfolio of wines, from the extraordinary values, to the top-end world classics. While one could say this is as traditionally run estate as can be found in western Europe, the Perrins are remarkably flexible if they sense that quality can be improved. Quality rises dramatically with the Perrin et Fils cuvees. The Cotes du Rhone Reserve wines are produced primarily from the estate vineyards at Grand Prebois and Vinsobres, with some purchased fruit from such Cotes du Rhone appellations as St.-Gervais. Marc Perrin, who is responsible for winemaking at Perrin et Fils, seems to go from strength to strength with this line of wines, which includes negociant bottlings as well as some from estate vineyards in Vinsobres. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

This all-Roussanne cuvee is a broad, fat wine that somehow pulls itself together to deliver a long, mineral- and spice-tinged finish. Some nice pineapple fruit holds it together through the midpalate. Has a reputation for aging well, so this score may seem conservative in five years' time.——J.C.(4/1/2010)—— 90