2001 Domaine Tardieu-Laurent Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Speciale VV

A debut offering, the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes Cuvee Speciale was fashioned with 100% stems from 75-80 year old Grenache vines from the appellation’s eastern sector known as La Crau. This 1,000-case cuvee boasts a black/blue/purple color. While closed, it reveals tremendous concentration along with a formidable assortment of flavors including ripe figs, creme de cassis, chocolate, melted licorice, espresso, and earth. Full-bodied, magnificently concentrated, and pure, with reserves of power, it has the potential to be magical, but patience will be a virtue given its backwardness at present. It’s hard to believe this wine has close to 16% natural alcohol, but that component is completely concealed by the level of concentration. Anticipated maturity: 2008-2023. Importer: Martin Scott Wines, Little Neck, NY; tel. (516) 327-0808 and Stacole Fine Wines, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 998-0029

(100% from the lieu-dit Crau; 15.5% alcohol; no new oak used here) Bright medium ruby. Musky, slightly rustic aromas of roast coffee and chocolate. Liqueur-like surmaturite in the mouth; thick but with enlivening vinosity. Shows an intriguing iron nuance to go with the roasted garrigue character. The "regular" old-vines bottling is more aristocratic, while this is more traditional, rustic Chateauneuf, but with uncanny sweetness and depth of flavor. Finishes with huge tannins that will require several years of bottle aging. This cuvee was more raisiny, with more of a figgy character from dried grapes, noted Tardieu, and thus he couldn't combine it with the rest of the old-vines juice.