Darker-hued and denser on the palate than the 2018, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape delivers a rich, velvety mouthful of dark-fruited wine. Plums and black cherries are joined by hints of black olives and asphalt in this full-bodied effort, leading into a long finish that shows a bit of chewiness. It should drink well for up to a decade.

A non-brainer purchase is 2007. The 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape spent over a year in neutral wood foudres. A blend of 75% Grenache and 25% Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and other authorized varietals, it exhibits sweet black cherry, licorice, pepper, garrigue, and earth notes. Full-bodied with moderate tannins, the sweetness of the fruit, the levels of glycerin, and the wine's expansive, savory texture support the tannin. It will benefit from another 1-2 years of bottle age, and will drink nicely for 15+ years. Another famous family name in Chateauneuf du Pape, the Diffontys can trace their origins to the late 17th century. Moreover, they have been producing wines under the Cuvee du Vatican name for over one hundred years (although during that period most of the wine was sold to negociants).Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

In contrast to the open, round, gorgeously fruity 2007, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is a more unyielding, tannic, earthy, spicy, austere, backward wine. It should evolve for a decade or more. Cuvee du Vatican’s two cuvees of red wine include a traditional cuvee, which is usually a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and the rest Mourvedre and Cinsault, aged in foudre (40%), tank (30%), and used small barrels (30%). The more limited production luxury offering, the Reserve Sixtine (50% Grenache, 28% Syrah, and 22% Mourvedre), is aged 70% in one, two, and three-year-old barrels and 30% in tank. The fruit comes from their three major holdings in La Crau (clay and rocky soils), the Rayas terroir (pure sand), and the Barbe d’Asne (clay soils). Young Jean-Marc Diffonty, who has been doing a fabulous job here for more than a decade, is clearly raising the quality of the wines to a new level that clearly transcends the work his father did in the 1960s and 1970s.Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape from Cuvee du Vatican is tired and on a downward slope, with a kiss oxidation and dry tannin. It’s best drunk up ASAP.

The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape possesses a dark ruby/purple color as well as elegant, peppery, black cherry, currant, underbrush, and garrigue characteristics, and firm tannin in the finish. At present, it does not display any of the early drinking charm of its 2006 counterpart. Forget this wine for 4-5 years, and drink it over the following 15. The young Jean-Marc Diffonty offers two different styles of Chateauneuf du Pape. The basic cuvee is a more typical than the Reserve Sixtine, which is a combination of 50% Grenache and the rest various proportions of Syrah and Mourvedre, with the latter two components spending time in barriques. The Reserve Sixtine often needs 4-5 years of bottle age to integrate the wood component and display its Provencal typicity. Having purchased and followed Diffonty’s early bottlings of the Reserve Sixtine, I can say they do become very Provencal in character at about age 5-7. Moreover, in the top vintages, they possess twenty or more years of aging potential.Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173