Clos Saint Jean Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2007

Alluring mulled spice, braised fig and red currant fruit is layered with mouthwatering maduro tobacco and bittersweet cocoa notes. Picks up a bright minerally edge on the finish. Excellent precision. Best from 2010 through 2020.

Deep ruby. Black raspberry, smoky herbs and Asian spices on the nose. Suave and fine-grained, with deep flavors of raspberry, blackberry and tangy minerals. A step up in extract and power from the regular bottling, with more depth and intensity to its red and dark fruit flavors. Gains a floral quality on the back half, finishing sweet, broad and minerally, with dusty tannins and an echo of candied flowers.

The special selection for American importer Peter Weygandt, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes, ratchets up the level of succulence, juiciness, and opulence. It is a fabulous, compelling effort of multiple dimensions. Classic aromas and flavors of licorice, kirsch liqueur, balsam wood, and lavender are found in this enormously full-bodied wine along with unreal concentration and perfect balance. This astonishing effort should drink well for 20+ years.

Rich and forward, with lots of enticing fig sauce, melted licorice and boysenberry fruit notes. Sweet spice and shiso leaf notes linger on the lengthy, rounded finish. Drink now through 2022.

The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes' dark opaque color is accompanied by a gorgeous nose of incense, licorice, spice box, creme de cassis, cherries, and smoked meats. Notions of soy and fig are also apparent in this full-bodied, concentrated, sexy wine. Enjoy it over the next 12-15+ years.

The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes has a dark saturated ruby/purple color and a gorgeous nose of camphor, beef blood, roasted meat, pepper, lavender, spring flowers, and assorted red and black fruits such as kirsch and blackberry. The wine is very Provencal, extremely deep, full-bodied, and ideal for drinking over the next 12-15 years. The tannins are there, but they are nearly obliterated by the wine's concentration and richness.

Inky ruby. Powerful and expressive nose offers sexy blackberry, cassis and licorice scents. Fresher on the palate, displaying raspberry, cherry, candied flowers and mineral qualities. The finish is broad, gently sweet and very long. This will drink well young.