2005 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Reserve

Along with Clos St.-Jean’s Deus Ex Machina, Vieille Julienne’s 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve (200 cases produced) is the wine of the vintage. From 101-year old Grenache vines planted in sandy soils, it boasts a black/purple color as well as a gorgeous perfume of smoke, meat, blackberries, sweet cherries, creme de cassis, licorice, spice, and a hint of pine forest/underbrush. The fruit dominates in this rich, intense, remarkable effort. It requires 5-7 years of bottle age, but should keep for 35-50 years, proving to be one of the most legendary Chateauneuf du Papes ever made. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2040+

The 2005 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve is easily the wine of the trip and is one of the most impressive, massive and concentrated Chateauneufs I've ever had and is so damn good it's hard to stop thinking about it. Stunning, massive and concentrated with a backwards but knockout nose of black cherry, graphite and earth. Full bodied, amazingly powerful but also pure and precise. This wine is loaded from the front all the way to the back with amazing fruit, balance and structure. Transferring this note from my notebook into the computer has my mouth watering.

Inky violet. Extremely fragrant bouquet offers a potent mix of dark berries, kirsch, licorice and pungent herbs, with a strong mineral undercurrent. Deep, impressively concentrated cassis and candied cherry flavors are framed by big, velvety tannins, picking up mocha and black cardamom on the finish. Boasts great sweetness but no overripe character. Pretty stunning stuff.