The 2003 Chateau La Roquette Chateauneuf du Pape seems to be a relatively serious, nicely layered wine with medium to full body and plenty of kirsch liqueur intermixed with pepper, spice box, and earth. The wine is heady (15.3% alcohol), and moderately tannic. Give it 1-2 years of bottle-age and drink it over the following 12-14 years. Importers: Vieux Telegraphe and Pigoulet: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524; Chateau La Roquette: Diageo Chateau Estate Wines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 419-1400

The 79-acre Domaine la Roquete was acquired by the Brunier family of Vieux Telegraphe in 1986. Its modern labeling belies its dense, huge, packed fruit and tannins that suggest classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape. But there are also great perfumes in the wood and herbal characters. Will age over many years. Imported by Diageo Chateau & Estates. ——R.V.(12/31/2005)—— 93