6047 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Chante Cigale 2005

Medium ruby color. Vibrant aromas of spicy red berries and rhubarb, with a touch of minerality. Here is another 2003 that betrays no overripe or stewed tones. At once sweet and lively on the palate, with red berry flavors given focus by firm but fine-grained tannins. Finishes with persistent fruit flavors and good grip.

Their 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape (a blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and the rest equal parts Mourvedre and Cinsault) has an open, heady nose of Provencal spices, pepper, kirsch liqueur and the classic dusty garrigue notes. Smoky, earthy notes follow through on the palate with heady alcohol, plenty of fruit, and a soft texture with good freshness and purity. This wine should be drunk over the next decade.

Good, solid mix of red and dark berry fruit, with briar, tobacco and tar notes on the fleshy finish. solid example of the vintage. Drink now through 2018.

Deep red. Intensely spicy and powerful on the nose, with notes of tobacco, bitter cherry and balsamico. Quite ripe, lush and creamy but also firmly structured, with unevolved dark berry and bitter chocolate flavors held in check by solid tannins. Very young but offers very good potential.

The 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape (aged 50% in foudres, 35% in tank, and 15% in small barrels) shows superb quality with a big, sweet nose of tapenade, ground pepper, kirsch, blackberry, and licorice. The wine has great fruit, full body, tremendous density, and a layered, full-bodied palate with even a hint of truffle emerging. This wine should drink well for up to a decade.

Deep violet. Very primal and a bit reduced, with raw blackberry and cassis scents deepened by tobacco and espresso. Chewy dark fruit flavors are accented by licorice and bitter chocolate and framed by firm tannins. Sweetens on the back, finishing with a persistent kirsch flavor.

Dark red. Powerfully aromatic nose offers smoky gamey strawberry and raspberry aromas with suave herb and spice qualities adding intrigue. Silky red berry preserve flavors combine depth and freshness conveying a deft marriage of fruit and tannins and impressive finishing sweetness. This is delicious right now.