Revisiting Bonneau’s recently released 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve des Celestins is a real treat as this cuvee flirts with perfection. Already revealing some pink and amber at the edge, the color is surprisingly evolved for a wine from this vintage. However, that’s deceptive as the aromatics offer incredible aromas of dried flowers, beef blood, spice, figs, sweet black currants and kirsch, smoked game, lavender, and sweaty but attractive saddle leather-like notes. Full-bodied and massively endowed, with abundant silky tannins, it possesses the balance to age for 30+ years. RP

Utterly profound, the 2001 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve des Célestins is a glorious wine that delivers everything you could want out of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Garrigue, kirsch, stems, meat, licorice, and dried blood aromas literally come leaping out of the glass and the wine is not only amazingly complex, but has a freshness and focus that few wines carry. Full bodied and yet light and focused on the palate, this has loads of sweet fruit, amazing purity, and a blockbuster, seamless finish. While certainly not primary, this is just beginning to show more nuance and maturity; it should benefit from another 3-5 years of bottle age and drink well for a decade or more after that. Just stunning stuff and those with bottle of this in the cellar should count themselves lucky!

Deep red. Incredibly complex, wild bouquet of red fruit liqueur, botanical herbs, fresh and dried lavender, anise, smoked game and minerals. Round, sweet and impossibly deep, offering a smorgasbord of ripe red and dark berry flavors complicated by candied licorice, floral pastilles and succulent herbs. Becomes more vibrant on the finish, leaving a broad swath of sappy red fruits in its trail.

Deep red. Incredibly complex, wild bouquet of red fruit liqueur, botanical herbs, fresh and dried lavender, anise, smoked game and minerals. Round, sweet and impossibly deep, offering a smorgasbord of ripe red and dark berry flavors complicated by candied licorice, floral pastilles and succulent herbs. Becomes more vibrant on the finish, leaving a broad swath of sappy red fruits in its trail. Josh Raynolds