The old-vine cuvee, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Chante le Merle Vieilles Vignes, is more rustic and rich, with aromas and flavors of asphalt, licorice, roasted herbs and soy. Comprised of roughly 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre, it is a mature, medium to full-bodied effort that is nicely balanced and finishes with solid length. I don’t think it will improve going forward, but it should hold nicely for a number of years. The first vintage where winemaker Nicolas Boiron was completely in charge, 2004 is a solid year for this estate and the wines show classic profiles across the board. In addition, this was the first vintage where they started to implement partial destemming.