2001 Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes

The surreal 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes (100% Roussanne from 85-year old vines) is pure liqueur of rose petals, marmalade, and honeysuckle. It is full-bodied, extraordinarily fresh and lively, and for me, one of the most singular expressions of white wine in the world. It is an amazing effort, but, sadly, there is little produced. Approximately 75% of this cuvee was put through malolactic and then blended with the non-malolactic portion. My experience with most vintages of this cuvee suggests it should either be drunk during its first 2-3 years of life, or forgotten for a decade. Increasingly, I tend to prefer it young. Importer: Vineyard Brands, Birmingham, AL; tel. (205) 980-8802

Vibrant, fruit-driven aromas of fresh pineapple, orange peel and crystallized yellow fruits. Superripe, silky and rich, with an exotic suggestion of coconut. Very round and very long, with the 13.2% alcohol thoroughly buffered. The 2000 was even riper, but this shows more early precision of fruit.