A step up on the richness scale over the classic cuvee, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin is as sexy a Grenache as you’ll find in the vintage. Blackberry liqueur, black cherries, olives, crushed flowers and licorice all emerge from this beauty, and it hits the palate with a full-bodied mouthfeel, sweet, resolved tannin and a great finish. This blossoms with time in the glass and will continue drinking beautifully for 4-6 years.

The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin’s deep ruby/purple hue is followed by a phenomenal nose of black cherry liqueur, melted licorice, incense, asphalt, truffles, and a hint of earth. This dense, full-bodied effort is a candidate for wine of the vintage. Consume it over the next 12-13 years.

The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Chaupin (18,000 bottle produced) is brilliant. Made from 100% Grenache from sandy and clay soils, the wine shows a stunning purity of licorice-infused black raspberry and black cherry notes, good, firm tannins, and stunning richness in an opulent, hedonistic style. The wine is a classic example of old vine Grenache and of Provence. This full-bodied, powerful wine, which has no hard edges, should drink beautifully for at least 15 or more years. Tasting at Janasse is fun. It is a large estate of 195 acres with 45 of them situated in Chateauneuf du Pape. Even if you weren’t obsessed with their fabulous Chateauneuf du Papes, they have a portfolio of brilliant wines from Cotes du Rhone as well as a vin de pays. Young proprietor Christophe Sabon, working with his wife and father, continues to fine-tune his winemaking skills. He is already brilliant at reds and shows increasing confidence in the quality of his white wine cuvees. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565

(100% grenache) Deep ruby. Spicy red fruits and flowers on the nose, with a gentle underpinning of smoky minerals. Raspberry and blackberry dominate the palate, which is impressively deep, smooth and tannin-free. Leaves sweet red berry and tangy mineral notes behind on the impressively persistent finish. This wine's elegance will allow it to be drunk young.

Very dark and dense – not yielding much aromatically yet. Lots of life inside this wine – BD? Real activity and zest – almost orange peel among the herbs. Lots of dry tannin on the finish. Exciting energy. Very good. All oaked Grenache. (JR)