The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is the finest wine produced by Grange since he began working at Delas when it was acquired by the Louis Roederer-Deutz Champagne firm. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a sumptuous bouquet of black fruits, kirsch liqueur, incense, licorice, pepper, and spice, a superb texture, beautiful freshness, and a long finish. Eighty percent of it was aged in tank and 20% in old barrels. This great northern Rhone negociant, spearheaded by their brilliant oenologist and winemaker, Jacques Grange, has consistently made fabulous wines from the northern appellations, but only recently upgraded the quality of their southern Rhone selections. These are the finest southern Rhones they have made, and their Cotes du Rhone St.-Esprit ranks alongside the offerings from Guigal and Chapoutier.Importer: Maison Marques et Domaines, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 587-2000

Dark, with a nice burly edge to the driven fig, chestnut, currant and tobacco flavors, all backed by plenty of grip on the coffee-tinged finish. Best from 2009 through 2023. 1,250 cases made. -JM