Assuming one can find any of the 500 or so cases that are made, the wine “to die for” is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure. I have a tendency to underrate this wine, as both the 2005, which I find pure perfection, and the nearly equal-in-quality 2006, both put on weight and complexity after a year or two in the bottle, but there is not a whole lot of room to improve in 2007. Coming from the very sandy soils of the lieu-dit in Chateauneuf du Pape known as Grand Pierre, this is 100% Grenache from vines that are about 110 years of age! Aged both in foudre and tank prior to being bottled unfiltered, in its three versions to date, it is undeniably one of the greatest expressions of pure Grenache in the world. An awesome wine with an extraordinary nose of melted licorice, spring flowers, black cherries, and black currants, the wine hits the palate with a full-bodied, thunderous impact but never, ever becomes heavy or ponderous. It is an ethereal, super-concentrated wine of great elegance, precision, and freshness, but with unbelievable concentration and length.

Thick, unctuous and the epitome of hedonism, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is easily the most decadent and concentrated Pure produced to date. Possessing tons of sweet kirsch and darker fruits, roasted meats, lavender and truffle, it's massive and backward on the palate, with a full, stacked mid-palate and an almost overflowing amount of fruit that somehow stays lively, weightless and fresh. I found the '05 and '10 to have a tad more vibrancy at this tasting, but certainly, this is one of the most profound Grenaches I've tasted. A word of warning, this cuvee has known Issues of having some bottles referment, so proceed with caution.

(16.5% alcohol) Inky purple. Huge, expressive bouquet shows dark berry, floral and fruitcake qualities, along with a smoky mineral note. Lush and creamy, with deep boysenberry and blueberry flavors and velvety tannins. Turns spicier on the back half and finishes with outstanding clarity and juicy persistence. As massive as this is, there's no sense of overripeness or excess weight.

At this time, the brilliant 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure does not rival the virtually perfect 2005, but I rated the 2005 similarly at the same stage of development, and the 2007 will probably put on weight. The dark ruby-hued 2007 reveals a gorgeously pure nose of framboise, black raspberries, kirsch, licorice, roasted herbs, and meat juices. Displaying great texture, massive length, superb purity, a full-bodied, supple mouthfeel, and a finish that lasts nearly 50 seconds, it should drink well for 12-15 years. Christian and Julien Barrot’s Domaine La Barroche burst on the wine scene with very good 2004s, and sensational 2005s, especially the out-of-this-world 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure. These are four very different styles of Chateauneuf du Pape. The Terroir cuvee comes from the well-known sectors called Pialons and Cabrieres, and is a 95% Grenache offering aged completely in foudre. The Fiancee, made from vineyards in Cabrieres and Terres Blanches, is a more modern-styled offering with the Grenache aged in tank and the Syrah in small barrels. The Pure cuvee is made from 100% old vine Grenache planted in sandy soils in Pointu and Grand Pierre, not far from the sandy soils of Rayas. It is aged totally in old wood foudres. Importers: The Sorting Table, LLC, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724 and Petit Pois, Moorestown, NJ; tel. (856) 608-9644

Attention-grabbing all-white label. A bottle that had been given to Parisian restaurateur Robert Vifian by an American and had been shipped to Napa. Looked quite evolved. Ruby with a slightly orange rim. Extremely rich and sweet with a tinge of charcoal. Almost overripe. Falls away a bit on the end but it's certainly dramatic! (JR)