Not unexpectedly, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes (a blend of 39% Mourvedre, 35% Syrah and the rest Grenache, aged in small barrels) is a long-term proposition for Rhone wine enthusiasts. Dense bluish/purple to the rim, with notes of blueberry, black raspberry liqueur, kirsch, spice box, vanillin, graphite and licorice, the wine is extraordinarily complex, deep, full-bodied and juicy, with a sweet, luxurious mid-palate and long finish with moderately high tannin. Give this wine a good 5-6 years of cellaring, as it should age for 30-35 years. Christian Voeux, the general administrator at La Nerthe, told me that of all the wines made at the estate since 1998, this has the highest dry extract and polyphenols ever measured, even richer than their 2001 Cuvee des Cadettes. Readers should realize that neither the luxury cuvee, the white Chateauneuf du Pape, La Nerthe Clos de Beauvenir, not the sensational top red cuvee called Cuvee des Cadettes were produced in 2011. The seriousness of La Nerthe is evidenced by the introduction of a second wine in order to preserve the integrity and exquisite quality of their top cuvees. Their new red, the Chateauneuf du Pape Les Granieres, is primarily a blend of nearly 50% Grenache and almost equal portions of Mourvedre and Syrah, with a touch of Cinsault, aged largely in old wood foudres, but with some of the Syrah and Mourvedre components in small barrels. Importer: Pasternak Wine Imports, Harrison, NY; tel. (800) 946-3110

In most vintages, there are about 1,000 cases of the luxury cuvee, the Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Cadettes. The 2010 (a 100% barrel-aged blend of nearly equal parts Syrah, Grenache and Mourvedre) exhibits a dense purple color, great acid, ripe tannin and is clearly a modern day classic meant to age for three decades or more. Notes of cassis, blackberries, camphor, graphite and licorice emerge from this full-bodied, pure, intense, super-layered Chateauneuf du Pape. The tannins are sweet, the acidity is fresh, and the pH is a healthy 3.6. This 2010 should behave somewhat like the brilliant 2001, needing 7-8 years of bottle age, and drinking well over the following 25+ years. (Not yet released)One of Chateauneuf du Pape’s classic estates, Chateau La Nerthe’s 225+ acres are all located in the southeastern quadrant of the appellation. A property that can trace its history back to 1560, La Nerthe was also one of the first estate bottlers. It was acquired by the Richard family in 1985, and they immediately turned this once run down estate around. Long-time manager, Alain Dugas, has quietly slipped into retirement, turning the estate over to his assistant, Christian Voeux. La Nerthe’s two white Chateauneuf du Papes are among the classics of the appellation.Importer: Pasternak Wine Imports, Harrison, NY; tel. (800) 946-3110