This is Grenache at its most luxuriously rich. The wine's opaque ruby/purple color is accompanied by a knock-out nose of jammy kirsch liqueur, roasted peanuts, smoked olives, chocolate, and jus de viande. Huge, dense, and massive, with rustic tannin in the finish, this wine possesses extraordinary concentration and richness and massive body, yet is neither over-sized nor undrinkable. It is reminiscent of a top-class Chateauneuf du Pape from the likes of Henri Bonneau or Vieux-Donjon. While Bonneau and Vieux-Donjon do not use new oak, the dominance of new oak by Scala Dei has been, remarkably, obliterated by the wine's extraordinary depth and richness of fruit. Anticipated maturity: Now-2012. This wine appears to be a turning point for this winery, which has always produced good wines, although many cuvees were left too long in wood. Produced from 70-year old Grenache vines, this special cuvee was made to the specifications of the American importer, thus it is only available here. Fifty barrels, of which 50% were new, were produced of this wine, which enjoyed a 25-day maceration, one racking, and no fining or filtration. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, New York, NY; tel. (212) 924-4949