1 | Wine | Red Rhone Blend, 95 or higher, 2009

"The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Origines (1,500 cases produced) is a blend of 50% Grenache, a whopping 30% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah with the latter two components spending time in new oak barrels. All of the fruit comes from vines that are nearly 70 years of age. A great wine with an opaque ruby/purple color, sensational fruit intensity and notes of graphite, lavender, licorice, lead pencil shavings and subtle smoke, it is full-bodied, rich and powerful with low acidity and sweet, velvety tannins. It should drink well for 15+ years" - Robert Parker

"A great example of traditional Chateauneuf du Pape winemaking. A dense dark ruby color is followed by a sexy nose of raspberries, ground pepper, spice box, damp earth, kirsch and dark currants. Full-bodied, complex, elegant and already irresistible as the tannins have completely melted away, it can be drunk now and over the next 15+ years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Potentially the wine of the vintage, the 2009 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin had just been bottled two weeks before my visit. A wine of extraordinary density, richness, precision and unreal flavor intensity, it reveals abundant gamey, meaty notes intermixed with smoked duck, Provencal herbs, blueberries, blackberries, kirsch and licorice. This loaded, multidimensional, massively concentrated 2009 is much softer than most Hommages. It should be drinkable in 3-4 years and keep for 30-40 years thereafter. Kudos to one of the world’s great winemaking families!" Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Gorgeous kirsch liqueur notes, raspberry jam, forest floor, spice box, new saddle leather and a peppery spiciness are all present in this deep, voluptuously textured, open-knit Clos des Papes, which is atypically forward, luscious and approachable already. These wines often need a good 5-10 years of cellaring in the more structured vintages, but the 2009 is gorgeous from the get-go. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated wine has a deep purple color and should drink well for 20-25 years without ever really closing down." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"A sensational effort, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes was aged in 2- to 3-year-old barrels. Incredible aromas of roasted Provencal herbs, licorice, truffles, kirsch and black raspberries jump from the glass of this dark ruby/purple-hued wine. Full-bodied and voluptuous as well as extremely elegant and poised, the sweetness of the tannin and the wine’s unctuosity and viscosity are all remarkable. This is a blockbuster, old vine Grenache to drink over the next 15+ years." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"A gorgeously aromatic bouquet of dark fruits, kirsch, underbrush, raspberries, licorice, spice box and pepper soars from the glass of this dark ruby/purple-tinged wine. Opulent and voluptuously textured with moderate tannins, and a broad, fleshy mouthfeel, it has 15 years of evolution ahead of it. Nevertheless, it is very accessible and upfront now." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"One of the more endowed 2009s, this is packed with dark smoldering cocoa, mesquite, tobacco and roasted fig notes, all inlaid with pure cassis and plum preserves fruit flavors. Long and authoritative on the finish, with singed vanilla bean and tar adding length and dimension."

"This impressive, deep ruby-colored, broad wine offers oodles of kirsch liqueur, black raspberry, sweet herb and meat broth-like characteristics, impressively sweet tannin, a full-bodied mouthfeel and stunning purity as well as length." Reviewed by Robert Parker.

"One of the top Chateauneuf du Papes of the vintage is the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale-Vigne Centenaires (from 100-year-old vines planted in pure sand). A blend of 90% Grenache and the rest Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, Counoise, and Muscardin (a real field blend), this wine is close to rivaling their great 2007. Its stunning blue/purple color (remarkable for Grenache grown in sand) is followed by a full-bodied wine revealing exquisite concentrated notes of incense, lavender, camphor, black cherries and black currant liqueur. Tell-tale licorice and pepper characteristics are also present in this voluptuously textured, fleshy, full-bodied effort that is already drinkable. One of the stars of the vintage, it is capable of lasting 15-20 years."

"Among the most concentrated Chateauneufs of the vintage, it boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as copious aromas of blueberries, blackberries, melted licorice and spring flowers. This full-bodied offering reveals rich, pure fruit notes, a multidimensional mouthfeel and extraordinary elegance and freshness. It is a tour de force achievement that requires 2-4 years of bottle age; it should last for 15-20+ years. Bravo!" 93-96 points, reviewed by Robert Parker.