A wine that might rival the 2001 when all is said and done, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de La Reine des Bois is an incredible effort that does everything right. Possessing a voluptuous, decadent and super-rich profile, it stays graceful and perfectly balanced, with beautiful freshness, a stacked mid-palate and a blockbuster finish. Opening up in the glass, with copious blackberry, cassis, graphite, violets and spring flower-like nuances, it needs another 2-3 years of bottle age, and will have upward of three decades of overall longevity. As I wrote in the intro for this domaine last year, Domaine de la Mordoree is a reference point estate for Chateauneuf du Pape. Run by the talented brother duo of Fabrice and Christophe Delorme, with Christophe making the wines, they produce a relatively modern-styled Chateauneuf, as well as more than noteworthy Liracs and Tavels. For this tasting at the domaine (I was also able to taste through this full lineup again, from bottles in the U.S.), we started with the older vintages and worked toward the more current releases. In addition to their Reine des Bois cuvee, the Delorme brothers also release a special cuvee call the Cuvee de la Plume du Peintre. It’s made only in top vintages, and, as of today, it’s only been made in 2003 and 2005. There’s a scant 150 cases of each. Coming from a plot of 80-year-old vines located in the famed La Crau lieu-dit, the blend has changed between the two releases, as has the elevage. Importer: Fran Kysela, Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722-9228; fax (540) 722-9258

The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Reine des Bois is exquisite. It is hard to say that it’s better than some of its predecessors, because there have been so many magnificent wines to emerge from Domaine de la Mordoree since the mid-1990s, but this inky purple wine has an extraordinary nose of gun flint, wood smoke and blackberry jam intermixed with spring flowers, kirsch, and blueberries. Stunningly rich, this full-bodied wine is built like a skyscraper, with decent acidity, fabulous delineation to its component parts, and a whopping 45-second finish. The wood is gorgeously integrated, as it usually is, the tannins still noticeable, but not astringent, and the wine majestic. Give it 2-4 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25+ years.

Year in and year out, Christophe Delorme continues to turn out one of the top dozen or so Chateauneuf du Papes from this winery located in the village of Tavel. This is the quintessential hybrid style of Chateauneuf du Pape, incorporating both the best of traditional techniques with some modern influences, including the use of small barrels, emphasis on biodynamic viticultural techniques, low sulfur, and pure, exceptionally ripe fruit from their vineyards. As for the other wines from Christophe Delorme and his brother Fabrice (Christophe runs the vineyards and winemaking operation and Fabrice takes care of the books), they are still the reference point for how profound Lirac can be. This has become an increasingly popular destination for producers from Chateauneuf du Pape, as the soils are similar and the appellation is basically next door to Chateauneuf. Drink: 2014 - 2029
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #203 Oct 2012

(96-98 pts)
The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de la Reine des Bois should rival the estate’s terrific 2007, 2006, 2005, 2001 and 1998. It boasts a saturated black/purple color and a glorious perfume of melted licorice, acacia flowers, lavender, blueberries, blackberries and kirsch. Full-bodied and dense as well as extraordinarily elegant, precise and fresh, this sumptuous wine should be cellared for 3-5 years, and drunk over the following 25+. It is a candidate for “wine of the vintage.” Drink: 2014 - 2039
-Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #197 Oct 2011