The 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret des Sabon offers a blockbuster bouquet of roasted meats, truffles, smoked herbs, prunes, and black cherry jam. Akin to drinking dry vintage Port, it tastes like a Chateauneuf du Pape on steroids. The alcohol level must be 15% plus, but it is buried beneath the wealth of fruit and flesh. The 1999 appears more evolved and forward than the 1998 did at a similar age, so drinking it over the next 10-12 years is advised. The wine lingers on the palate for nearly a minute, which gives readers an idea of just how deep and thick it is. It is a tour de forces in winemaking. What a shame so little is produced. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565

Consumers lucky enough to have any of the 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon should consider drinking up. Wines typically aren't immortal, and this wine, while still impressive, was better a few years back. Cedar and leather notes join allspice and star anise on the nose, while the full-bodied palate showcases dried fruit. Still admirably silky and smooth on the long finish, this delicious, mature Chateauneuf du Pape should be consumed over the next couple of years.