2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Boisrenard

Opaque ruby. Black raspberry and cherry on the fragrant, oak-spiced nose and in the mouth. Lush and open-knit but energetic, offering intense red and dark berry flavors and a sexy lavender pastille quality. Shows impressive power and energy on the long, floral-dominated finish. This is the most elegant and lithe bottling of Boisrenard that I can recall, but it's by no means a lightweight.

The outstanding 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Boisrenard offers toasty new oak, a chocolaty, sweet black cherry jamminess, black currant, licorice and graphite characteristics. While it will does not rival the great Boisrenards produced in the past, it is a top-flight wine that should drink well for 10-15 years. Given how many superb wines have been made by the Coulon family at Beaurenard, the 2011s and 2010s are somewhat of a let down. One of the oldest estates in the region (they have records going back to 1695), Beaurenard was among the first to begin using small new oak for their top cuvee. That was over 25 years ago. The Coulons are extremely generous and it is well-worth a visit given their library of ancient vintages. They own over 80 acres in Chateauneuf du Pape divided among a mind-boggling 25 parcels spread throughout the appellation, making a harvesting strategy always a challenge. The Cuvee Boisrenard, first produced in 1985, is composed of 60% Grenache and the rest a mix of the other authorized grape varieties from the estate's oldest vines (65- to 105-years-old). The Coulon family's 2011 white Chateauneuf du Papes are more similar than dissimilar. Importers: A Christopher Cannan Selection, Europvin; Lauber Imports, Somerville, NJ; tel. (908) 725-2100 and Ruby Wines, Avon, MA; tel. (508) 588-7007

A blend of mostly Grenache that is aged for 18 months in 1-5 year-old French oak barrels, the 2010 Domaine de Beaurenard (Paul Coulon et Fils) Châteauneuf-du-Pape Boisrenard is knockout stuff! Deep, layered, and gorgeously pure, with crème de cassis, blackberry, graphite, and licorice showing at first, it develops additional southern Rhône flair with garrigue and floral aromas all emerging with air. While full-bodied, rich, and concentrated on the palate, it is nevertheless elegant and seamless as well, with superb purity of fruit, beautiful freshness, and an energetic, vivid texture that carries masses of finely polished tannin. It needs a minimum of 4-5 years of bottle age, and will drink well for upwards of two decades.