2009 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape Barbe Rac

Full bottle 1,428 g. Biodynamic. Immensely sweet with an undertow of seriousness. Very long and obviously high in alcohol though it finishes fresh rather than hot and sweet. Pure pleasure. (JR)

Dark ruby. Ripe cherry and dark berry aromas and flavors are complemented by dried flowers, smoky herbs and licorice. Deep, rich and powerful but carrying no excess weight. Closes with strong punch and a persistent note of dark fruit liqueur. A deeper, more serious wine than the Croix de Bois but I prefer that wine's elegance today.

Even better is the 507-case cuvee of 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac. One of the wines of the vintage, this dark ruby/purple-tinged effort possesses great intensity along with a full-bodied mouthfeel and almost over-the-top levels of licorice-infused kirsch liqueur and raspberries. Spicy, peppery and earthy with lavish glycerin as well as richness, this is an amazing 2009 that is already drinking beautifully given the precociousness of the vintage. It should evolve for 15 years or more. While the firm of Chapoutier is justifiably renowned for their northern Rhone wines and, increasingly, their projects in Australia, Portugal and the Languedoc-Roussillon (more on those wines later), they have some important holdings in Chateauneuf du Pape. Furthermore, they do a good job with their negociant offerings from growers who farm their vineyards biodynamically, a prerequisite for any grapes or wine purchased by Chapoutier. Two luxury cuvees are from two old vineyards, Croix de Bois which is near Bedarrides on the eastern side of the appellation, and Barbe Rac, in the western sector. The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois and 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac are both fabulous wines showing far better out of bottle than they did last year. Both are aged completely in cement tanks in the new Chapoutier facility just outside of Tain l’Hermitage. Chapoutier loves the minerality and acid levels that were achieved in his biodynamically farmed vineyards in 2010. He said that after seven or eight years of biodynamic viticulture, he notices the pHs going down and the total acids in the vineyards going up, a positive. The least expensive offerings in this portfolio are the Vin de Pays d’Oc cuvees. The two 2010 luxury Chateauneuf du Pape cuvees were more restrained than the opulent, voluptuously textured 2009s. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900