The somewhat rustic 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape came from four different winemakers. It reveals attractive notes of roasted meats intermixed with dried herbs, licorice, pepper, and spice. Although slightly disjointed, it is generally good. P.S. A wine that is not to be missed is Laurence’s partner’s Costieres di Nimes. Mark Fincham produces a beautiful blend of 70% Syrah and 30% Grenache called Red Note. The 2006 may be the finest yet made. It is an exuberant, flamboyant, richly fruity wine with loads of Provencal character. 2006 looks to be a very strong vintage for this region, even superior to 2005. The 2005 Red Note is more restrained, tannic, and closed, but quite good. One further note, I do not know what Laurence Feraud’s intention is, but she insisted that I taste two wines from Crete that she may or may not represent in France. One was the 2006 Nostos, a 100% Syrah, and the other was a Syrah/Grenache blend, the 2005 Nostos Cuvee Alexandra. Both were outrageously good wines that merit plenty of attention from adventurous wine consumers. I would buy them in a nanosecond if they were available in America!Importers: Dan Kravitz, Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA; tel. (540) 347-9400; Martine’s Wine, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400; and J and R Selections, Mt. Pleasant, MI; tel. (734) 662-3753The effervescent/dynamic Laurence Feraud continues to expand her family’s business, branching out into two negociant lines, one called Selection Laurence Feraud and the other Feraud-Brunel. The latter wines are made in conjunction with her friend (and proprietor of Les Cailloux), Andre Brunel. This is generally a very strong line-up of wines, with, ironically, the Chateauneuf du Pape cuvees perhaps weaker than the Cotes du Rhones, which is somewhat unusual. I think it is because there is much better fruit available in the Cotes du Rhone-Villages than in Chateauneuf du Pape, where the estates are holding back more and more of their best material for their own bottlings.
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