2009 Chateau de Beaucastel Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, Chateauneuf-du-Pape

Toasted almond, brioche, caramelized orange, and honeycomb all define the 2009 Châteauneuf Du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, a killer wine that's full-bodied, pure, and focused on the palate, with a sensationally layered and complete profile. All Roussanne brought up in barrel, it's drinking at peak today yet should offer another decade of safe drinking. This is consistently one of the greatest whites in the world, year after year, and I wish every reader could taste this cuvée today while it's at its peak. Drink: 2025-2034.

Wine Advocate October, 2011 The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Vieilles Vignes (Roussanne) is a staggering wine of extraordinary complexity and richness. Aromas of rose petals, exotic fruits such as mango and nectarine intermixed with peach marmalade, honeysuckle and crushed pineapple emerge from this full-bodied white along with good acidity and lavish amounts of fruit and glycerin. It offers a nearly out of body wine tasting experience.

Showing wax, honey and honeysuckle, the nose is slightly restrained, but still lovely. Really appealing harmony and balance on the palate, and a long, salted caramel finish – for many people, this will be the perfect time to drink. An impressive, classic white Châteauneuf, marrying great freshness with great strength. From a single parcel of Roussanne, planted in 1919 and grown biodynamically. Aged in one-year-old demi-muids and barriques. Maximum of 6,000 bottles per year.

While I couldn't quite reach triple digits in scoring this 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes, I was still completely blown away by its voluptuous majesty. Full-bodied, rich and ripe, it rolls easily across the palate in swells of amazing honey, pear, tangerine and marmalade notes. Almost ageless, it lingers elegantly on the finish, adding piquant hints of white pepper. Twenty years of enjoyable evolution doesn't seem remotely out of the question for this tour de force.

The flashy 2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes remains at a sweet spot for drinking. Swirling the glass evokes pronounced candle wax, straw, dried flower, white mushroom and pain grillé aromas. Full-bodied and framed by soft acidity, the expressive 2009 has been a personal long-time favorite, and I’m glad to see it still rocking. That said, I see no need to wait any further to pop a cork.

Vivid gold. Heady aromas of citrus and pit fruits, smoke, anise and honey, with a floral topnote. Powerful, delineated poached pear and nectarine flavors are lifted by zesty acidity. Suggestions of smoke, spice and exotic honey linger on an impressively focused, persistent finish.

Creamy, toasted nose. Still very freshly fruited with banana, apricot, peach and toffee apple. Big in every way, but avoids exaggeration thanks to a savoury finish and plenty of phenolic grip. No sign of oxidation whatsoever. (RH)