The 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure may be the wine of the vintage. It boasts terrific intensity as well as a majestic perfume of black and red fruits intertwined with floral, sandy soil and lavender notes. This astonishingly rich, essentially naked wine (it was aged totally in old foudres) should age effortlessly for 10-15 years. (Not yet released) The brilliant Julien Barrot has decided to produce only two cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape from the family’s nearly 32 acres of vineyards. It is amazing what Julien has accomplished since he began working at Domaine La Barroche in deluge-plagued 2002, the year when historical floods inundated Chateauneuf du Pape on September 8 and 9. The water could not have come at a worse time since prior to that it appeared to be a superb harvest. The first great vintage produced by Barrot was 2005, and he has continued with a remarkable succession of riveting wines. One of the world’s greatest red wines is his 300 or so cases of Pure that come from a lieu-dit called Grand Pierre next to the famed Chateau Rayas. The two cuvees called Signature and Terroir are now combined into one simply called Chateauneuf du Pape (the name may change in the future). It includes an intriguing component of less than 10% 70-year-old Cinsault, which gives the wine an extraordinary fragrance as well as a delicacy that can be missing in these southern Rhone wines. The Pure is 100% Grenache from 105-year-old vines. Importer: The Sorting Table, LLC, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724

Showing the vintage's upfront, sunny and sexy character, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure has classic kirsch, candle wax, ground pepper and Asian spice characteristics to go with a full-bodied, supple, forward and open knit profile on the palate. Similar to the 2009, just with the dial turned back slightly, this is a beautiful Chateauneuf du Pape geared for drinking in its first 10-15 years.

Vivid ruby-red. Heady, intensely perfumed aromas of dark fruit preserves, incense and potpourri. Stains the palate with deeply concentrated boysenberry and cherry-cola flavors, with a spicy nuance adding vibrancy. Refuses to let up on the finish, which emphatically repeats the cola and spice notes. Very rich and velvety, with a hint of warmth on the back end. Barrot told me that this wine will likely be bottled at 17.3% alcohol. That is not a typo.

Winemaker Julien Barrot describes 2011 as a "really solar, ripe vintage," so it's not surprising that his 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure shows some warm, spiritous notes. "The Grenache was 17.3, so we blended in some Mourvèdre and brought it down to 16.99," said Barrot. Yet this full-bodied wine is still largely enjoyable, with notes of roasted meat, leather, black cherries, dark chocolate and licorice all in abundance. Drink up.