1995 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige

Now that the 1995s are in bottle, they are even better than I had predicted last year. The explosively rich, full-bodied, macho-styled, deep ruby/purple-colored 1995 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Prestige offers a smorgasbord of Provencal aromas including smoked herbs, freshly crushed black pepper, and black plum and kirsch-like fruit. Deep, powerful, and super-concentrated, this is a classic, old style Chateauneuf du Pape that will require 1-3 years of cellaring; it will keep for two decades. Roger Sabon, the former mayor of Chateauneuf du Pape, is one of the more forward-thinking vignerons in the village. In addition to the Cuvee Prestige and Cuvee Reservee, he produces a third cuvee, representing his lightest and most commercial wine called Les Olivets. I did not taste either the 1995 or 1996 Les Olivets on my recent trip. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel. (212) 924-4949