Domaine Grand Veneur Alain Jaume & Fils Châteauneuf du Pape 2005

This is broad-shouldered, with lots of dark olive, fig, currant and beef flavors supported by tarry tannins that show excellent drive through the finish, where extra raspberry and graphite notes linger. Drink now through 2020.

Inky ruby. Fresh raspberry and cherry preserve aromas are complicated by lavender and rose. Smoky herbs come up with air and carry onto the palate, accenting deep red fruit flavors. Nicely focused wine, with an energetic, tangy finish and good persistence.

The 2005 Châteauneuf du Pape is performing even better than it did last year. The wine has a dense ruby/purple color and a sweet nose of boysenberry, blackberry, and a hint of kirsch, with some loamy soil notes, ground pepper, and some incense and camphor. Ripe, full-bodied, with moderate tannins and a gorgeous, layered mouthfeel, this is a beauty that will be at its best in 1-3 years and last up to 15. This is definitely a modernist take on Chateauneuf du Pape, but the wines never lose the soul and typicity of Provence. They are impeccably well-made, pure, and deeply colored.

Ruby-red. Mineral-driven aromas of strawberry, cherry and tobacco. Snappy red fruit flavors show good depth and clarity, with silky tannins adding shape. In fact, the red fruit finish seems a touch hard.

A blockbuster and a terrific example of Chateauneuf du Pape in a more challenging and irregular vintage is the 2003 Chateauneuf du Pape. Deep purple to the rim with a gloriously flamboyant nose of black raspberry jam, kirsch, smoke, and licorice, the... Robert Parker's Wine Advocate. A Proprietary Blend wine from Rhone in France. 2003 Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape 750ml

From vineyards on the terraced and pebbled slopes north of Auvignon, this wine is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre. It is a rich, full-flavored wine to serve with red meat, game or strong cheeses.

Jaw-dropping raspberry ganache and plum fruit, along with cocoa, tar, hoisin sauce and mineral notes, are flamboyantly displayed, while an intense tarry, minerally drive extends the finish. Best from 2007 through 2025.