A vintage that’s drinking at point today for most producers, Jean-Paul’s 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape is still young and concentrated, with a rich, structured, yet complex profile. Giving up classic licorice, garrigue, dried flowers and plums and cherry-driven fruit, it has full-bodied richness, big tannin and a ripe, concentrated and lengthy feel on the palate. During the tasting, Jean-Paul commented that this was the first vintage where he really felt like he understood his terroir. Open bottles anytime over the coming 7-8 years. One of my favorite producers, Vieille Julienne is run by the brilliant Jean-Paul Daumen. Coming all from a cool, mostly sandy terroir located in the northern part of the appellation, these traditionally made wines possess singular characters that have both richness and depth on the palate, as well as notable elegance and freshness. They epitomize this tiny terroir and are more Vieille Julienne than they are Chateauneuf du Pape. For this tasting, we focused on his traditional Chateauneuf (which is now broken up into two cuvees, the Trois Sources and the Hauts Lieux) and his Reserve bottling, which is produced only when this tiny plot of vines offers something unique to say. Looking first at Jean-Paul’s traditional Chateauneuf (made up until 2009), it is always a rough blend of close to 90% Grenache, with smaller components of Syrah, Mourvedre, Counoise and Cinsault. Completely destemmed, it’s aged in older foudre and never sees any new wood. While it comes from a cooler terroir in the northern part of the appellation (and Jean-Paul favors harvesting on the earlier side), it never lacks for richness and is a concentrated, structured effort that benefits from cellar time. Moving to the Reserve bottling, this cuvee comes from a single plot of 100+-year-old vines, planted in what looks like pure beach sand. It’s also slightly more Grenache dominated than the classic cuvee, with the blend containing 90-95% Grenache and the balance Cinsault and Syrah. It too is completely destemmed and aged all in older foudres. First made in 1994, it’s only produced when Jean-Paul feels that the plot has something special to say. Available in the U.S. through Vin Connect Inc., Tel. (415) 857-5740; www.vinconnect.com

There are approximately 3,300 cases of the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape, a blend of 90% Grenache and the rest Counoise, Mourvedre, Syrah, and Cinsault. I tasted it ten days after bottling, and it is a brilliant effort that should merit a score in the low nineties after 3-4 years of bottle age. Bottled unfined and unfiltered (as are all of Vieille Julienne’s reds), and aged in neutral wood foudres for 18 months, it boasts a deep ruby/purple color as well as a big, sweet bouquet of kirsch liqueur, licorice, spice box, and a notion of beef blood. Full-bodied, textured, and firmly structured, with superb concentration, high tannin, and an uncompromising vin de garde style, it requires 3-4 years of cellaring. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2018. Jean-Pierre Daumen (only 43 years old) is at the top of his game ... and we are all the beneficiaries.A new label debuted in 2001 as Jean-Paul Daumen is fed up with the bickering going on between the two Chateauneuf du Pape syndicates. He has eliminated the engraved bottle, using a standard Burgundy-styled bottle, and also has a new label. Daumen told me that after 2001, there will no longer be a Cuvee Vieilles Vignes as everything will go into the traditional Chateauneuf du Pape bottling. The only exception will be great vintages when they will produce limited quantities of a Reserve cuvee.Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897