Hedonistic to the extreme and pushing the ripeness scale, yet keeping everything in check, the 2007 Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Centenaire (almost 100% Grenache, with a splash of Mourvèdre, that’s from the Farguerol lieu-dit in the northwest part of the appellation) is a knockout Châteauneuf-du-Pape that oozes deep blackberry styled fruits, melted licorice, spice cake, roasted meat, and garrigue aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and voluptuous on the palate, with a thick, rich texture that’s brilliantly balanced by incredible freshness and ripe tannin, this gorgeous 2007 doesn’t pull any punches, yet is nevertheless, a monumental wine that has 2+ decades of longevity.

Vivid red color. Seductive, highly expressive aromas of raspberry, anise, Asian spices, smoky minerals and potpourri. Juicy, sweet and palate-staining, with vibrant red and dark berry flavors and superb clarity and back-end florality. The extremely long finish leaves sweet floral pastille and raspberry notes behind. This is one of the most seductive wines of the vintage and is already showing a lot of complexity. (Robert Kacher Selections, Washington D.C.

It was 'warm, but not as warm as 2010, which was a bit too warm,' says Fabrice Brunel. Not too much coulure, so more grapes, leading to greater acidity and freshness. It's currently less evolved than the 2010, and showing some spicy, woody hints on the nose. Generous, but not heavy, on the palate with very silky tannins. The acidity is quite marked. Lovely fresh raspberry fruit still. In a good place - not hugely complex, but well balanced and harmonious for a 2007.

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate 31/10/2009 Two brilliant successes are Brunel’s cuvees of 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape. The 2007 Les Cailloux Tradition (a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 12% Syrah, and 3% other authorized varieties) comes from 60-year-old vines and is aged completely in tank except for the Mourvedre and Syrah components, which are kept in small barrels. Explosively fruity, this dense plum/purple-colored wine displays grilled meat notes intermixed with Provencal herbs, spice box, black cherry and black currant, in addition to having a lush, opulent texture. The finish goes on and on, and the wine is beautifully pure. It can be drunk now or cellared for 12 or more years. A moderately-sized estate for Chateauneuf du Pape (just under 44 acres), this is always a benchmark for the quality of any given vintage thanks to the energetic and very talented proprietor, Andre Brunel. He produced two of the best 2008s I tasted.

The still-tannic 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is full-bodied and firm, with a dark, concentrated color that just hints at brick on the rim. Black cherries and spice abound on the nose in a wine that seems to still have some gas in the tank, while being less seductive and elegant than some other vintages.