“Absolutely profound, and certainly one of the vintage’s great wines is the 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Inky plum/ruby/purple to the rim, with a big, sweet nose of melted licorice, smoked meats, blackberries, cassis, and earth, the wine is deep, powerful, full-bodied, with fabulous concentration, purity, and a multi-dimensional mouthfeel. The finish goes on for close to a minute. Forget this wine for 2-5 years and drink it over the following 25+ 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.” 98 Points, Robert Parker
“Has a gorgeous mouthfeel, with intense, racy layers of boysenberry, raspberry ganache and fig that pump along velvety tannins while notes of Turkish coffee, mocha, fruitcake and chocolate fill in the background. The superlong finish flaunts power and depth, but stays pure and refined. Drink now through 2032.” 97 Points, Wine Spectator
