The 2000 Chateauneuf du Pape represents an educational tour of the southern Rhone, in particular, Chateauneuf du Pape. It possesses all the appellation's classic components ... underbrush, garrigue, licorice, pepper, lavender, sweet black cherries, and incense. Extremely perfumed and heady, this full-bodied, moderately tannic offering comes close to matching the mass and blockbuster power of the 1998. Firm tannin in the finish suggests a long aging curve. Given my experience with Vieux Donjon, most of the classic vintages hit their peak at 7-8 years, where they remain for 5-6 years. Around age 15-16 they begin a slow decline. The 2000 should follow that path. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2016. One of the classic Chateauneuf du Papes of the appellation, the proprietor (the Michel family) makes an uncompromising, long-lived wine that is remarkably consistent from vintage to vintage. My buying history with this estate goes back two decades, and I have enjoyed virtually every vintage I have purchased. At present, I'm working my way through the last of my 1985s and 1990s, and then I'll attack the 1995s, and in a few years, the extraordinary 1998s.Given the realistic pricing of Vieux Donjon, this wine should be purchased by the case.Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173