The dark ruby/plum 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Mon Aieul (in most years a blend of 95 to nearly 100% Grenache, aged 90% in cement tanks and the remaining 10% in demi-muids) is seductive and concentrated, with loads of plum, fig, blueberry and bouquet garni notes. With its lush, heady mouthfeel, full body, real opulence and silkiness, and some spice, this wine is on a relatively fast evolutionary track, and probably best drunk in its first 10-15 years of life. One of the top estates in Chateauneuf du Pape is that of the two brothers Thierry and Jean-Pierre Usseglio. Their cellars are just north of the village, adjacent to the walls of the ruins of the pope’s palace. They have nearly 60 acres under vine, and make three cuvees of red wines in the top vintages. Their classic or traditional cuvee is made from a blend of mostly Grenache, with some Syrah, Cinsault and Mourvedre. Their mostly unoaked, tank-fermented and -aged Mon Aieul comes from very old vines (about 85 years of age) and tiny yields, while their cuvee Des Deux Freres leans in a slightly more modern direction for Chateauneuf du Pape, with 50% of it now aged in small barrels, 20% in tank, and 30% in 600-liter demi-muids.Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

Still aging nicely, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is showing some bricking at the rim. Hints of leather, dried spices and licorice accent notes of dried cherries, dates and figs. Full-bodied and silky-textured, it finishes with traces of warmth that will likely become more prominent as the wine ages further.