Chateauneauf-du-Pape, a blend unto it's own

My wife loves Chateauneuf-du-Pape. She adores it. We in fact will go to a little restaurant in San Francisco, in the bottom of a hotel, and sit through arguably the worst service in any restaurant in the world - just so we can order their beautiful bottles of Chateauneuf for $30. We suffer for our wine .

Well I had the good fortune to be spending time with family up in Whistler, BC just the other weekend, and my sister-in-law (who also loves a great wine) brought up a special bottle. A very special bottle. I didn't care so much about the occasion after the cork was opened and it had decanted, because Oh My... this was a wine to indulge the senses.

WINE A

clear visual;

• full ruby centre
• pronounced cherry/orange/brickish rim indicating some strong age (10 years would have been my guess)
• moderate++/full- legs indicating high alcohol of 13.5%+ (was 13.5%)

clean nose; full bouquet

• strong leathery oak
• cigar box
• pencil shavings
• deep plum & blackberry
• rich floral (akin to black roses)
• slight mushroomy fungal at the end

clean palate; 0 dryness, full acids, full- tannin, fully intense flavors of

• absolutely all the same things - this smells just like it tastes and vice-versa

moderate++/full- body, full- alcohol (not too much heat - just a wonderful warmth), full structure

Rich, lush fruit are emphasized by the pencil shavinmgs and cigar box tp start.. leadsinto a leathery oakiness that lasts forever on the palate. Red currant to finish. Drink this now for an amazing experience, or (IMHO) you could cellar this for another 5-10 years. Drink this on it's own as a "thinking-wine" or as we did, with prime-rib roast beef, confit of elephant garlic & leeks & white truffle mashed potato.

1999 Chateauneuf-du-Pape by Chateau de Beaucastel

(Pierre Perrin, winemaker) in Courthezon, France

**If anyone offers you this - pay the pretty penny for the experience**