2006 - Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de Marcoux

One of the wines of the vintage is the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes, and I still remember tasting this beauty at the domaine on release. Almost all Grenache and aged in tank, it has sensational notes of wild strawberries, raspberries, flowers, olive and Provencal garrigue all literally soaring from the glass. This gives way to a full-bodied, utterly seamless, weightless 2006 that has fabulous depth of fruit, fine tannin and a finish that just won’t quit. It’s flat out great today, but will continue knocking your socks off for another decade.

Deep ruby. Explosive aromas of dark berries, kirsch, vibrant minerals, cured meat and garrigue; smells like a great Mazis-Chambertin. Finely etched red and black fruit flavors completely stain the palate, with gentle smokiness and candied flowers adding nuance. It's rare to encounter this level of elegance from the southern Rhone. The finish is sweet, smoky and strikingly pure, leaving strong mineral notes behind. As usual, one of the best wines of the vintage.