Made by Jean-Paul Versino and the top wine of the estate, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Felix is a fantastic effort in the vintage. Smelling like a street market in the south of France with its cured meats, herbes de Provence, saddle leather, earth and sweet core of fruit, it is medium to full-bodied, balanced, textured and has notable structure that emerges with time in the glass. In short, it’s a beautifully made, traditional Chateauneuf du Pape to enjoy over the coming decade.

The top cuvee, the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Felix has mineral, plum, fig, earth, and cassis notes, a hint of black truffle, elegant medium to full-bodied flavors, moderate tannin, and more structure. It will certainly be longer lived than its predecessor, but I’m not sure it’s any better in spite of a much higher price tag. It should drink well for 10-12 years.Ever since the late 1990s, this fine estate run by the Versino brothers has done everything right, turning out classic but elegant wines from Chateauneuf du Pape that texturally often seem to have more in common with fine Burgundies than southern Rhone wines.Importer: J & R Selections, Mt. Pleasant, MI; tel. (517) 772-3695 and Louis/Dressner, New York, NY; tel. (212) 334-8191