The first vintage, the 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is still drinking gorgeously today. Made from roughly 80% old-vine Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Cinsault and aged in the oldest foudre in the cellar at that time, it sports a fully mature, amber/ruby color to go with classic notes of olive tapenade, tobacco leaf, cured meats, figs, sweet kirsch and assorted darker fruit on the nose. Full-bodied, sweetly fruited, voluptuous and layered, it's clearly at peak and in need of consuming, but will hold going forward for several years. Like with the classic cuvee, I don't see any upside. Still, this is a beautiful, mature Chateauneuf du Pape that's a joy to drink.

The 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee du Mon Aieul is close to full maturity. Dark plum/garnet, with a nose of licorice, lavender, seaweed, blueberry, and black raspberry, the wine is full-bodied, still very fresh, but complex, with silky tannins and a broad, savory mouthfeel. Everything seems resolved, and the wine looks to be at its peak of complexity. It should hold here for another 3-4 years, but last easily for 10-12. In terms of the best vintages of Mon Aieul, I would have to rank the 2003, 2006, and 2007 superior to the 1998, which was the debut vintage of this cuvee from proprietors Jean-Pierre and Thierry Usseglio.