The 2006 Cotes du Rhone, which now bears the name of the vineyard from which it emerges, Lieu-Dit Clavin, could turn out to be outstanding. Tasting more like a serious Chateauneuf du Pape than a Cotes du Rhone, it exhibits a dark ruby/purple color along with notes of kirsch, pepper, incense, and blackberries. Medium to full-bodied with silky tannin, and a plump, lush mouthfeel, it should drink well for 5-7 years. Over the last decade, Jean-Paul Daumen, the proprietor, winemaker, and Mr. Everything at Vieille Julienne, has emerged as one of France's most compelling wine producers. Taking advantage of the ancient vines his family owns in the northern sector of Chateauneuf du Pape, and biodynamically farming the entire vineyard, he has produced extraordinary wines since 1998. Daumen's winemaking philosophy is remarkably simple - old vines, tiny yields of around 20 hectoliters per hectare, no SO2 during vinification, aging in neutral tanks or wood, and bottling without fining or filtration. The results are wines of extraordinary purity, and naked expressions of terroir as well as the personality of the vintage. I can not recommend these wines highly enough. Sadly, as with most of the world's most majestic wines, production is relatively limited, and the demand is insatiable. Daumen has added an interesting white wine made from a blend of Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Marsanne, Viognier, and Bourboulenc.A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchant, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897
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