I tasted Bonneau's 1993 Chateauneuf du Pape, a wine I have not enjoyed in the past (certain barrels appeared to be sweeter than others). The wine seems to be drying out, with a hardness, leanness, and toughness now evident. Henri Bonneau does not appear to be a fan of this cuvee, so I suspect it may not make it into the bottle. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

The 1993 is an austere, thin, hard wine, although several cuvees had some fruit, ripeness, and medium body. Bonneau despises the vintage, using words to describe his wines that I dare not repeat.This wine was tasted between June 1 and June 16, 1996.The legendary and irrepressible Henri Bonneau was in fine form when I saw him in June. Tasting in his dark, hodge-podge of tiny rooms was once again a memorable experience. I have included my notes on the 1993, but at this point Henri Bonneau feels it is the worst vintage for him since 1977, and he was inclined to sell the entire production in bulk if it did not begin to show "some character."Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173