Much richer, denser, and headier than the regular bottling is the 2004 Lirac Cuvee de la Reine des Bois. This is a beauty. Deep ruby/purple with big, sweet black raspberry, truffle, and graphite notes intermixed with some licorice, spice box, and earth, the wine has fabulous fruit, beautiful elegance, and a nice, supple finish. Drink it over the next 5-6 years, although it may last longer. (The 1998 is still going strong.) This is an estate that was a no-brainer for inclusion in my recent book on the world’s greatest wine estates. With 135 acres spread throughout some of the most impressive appellations of the southern Rhone, Christophe Delorme and his brother took over this estate in the early to mid-1990s and have done nothing but produce one exquisite wine after another. Of course, the top cuvees of Chateauneuf du Pape are rare and expensive, but this is a place to find terrific Cotes du Rhones and Liracs as well. Delorme is equally adept at dry whites as well as reds, and turns out some stunning roses both under the Cotes du Rhone and Tavel appellations. Visitors to the area will be surprised to find out that Mordoree is actually in Tavel, not Chateauneuf du Pape.Importer: Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722-9228

From its lovely bouquet of dried flowers and spices to its voluptuous mouthfeel, this knockout has it all. Perfectly ripe (not overripe) black cherries form the foundation, garnished by complex notes of garrigue, and framed by a firm, ageworthy structure. Why pay more for Chateauneuf-du-Pape when you can drink this now and over the next decade?——J.C.(11/15/2006)—— 91