Showing beautifully (and I always question how this cuvee will age when I taste it in its youth, as it leans towards the richer end of the spectrum), the 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Barberini Blanc is surprisingly fresh and lively, with medium-bodied richness and depth to go with a clean, focused finish. A blend of 75% Roussanne with the rest Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc and Clairette that spent eight months, on lees, in 75% barrels, it exhibits ample lemon, citrus, vanilla and brioche, as well as plenty of green almond on the finish. Slightly soft and rounded, it is ready to go now and I would consume bottles over the coming couple of years. Run by the Lancon Family, with the wines now made mostly by Florent Lancon, Domaine de la Solitude covers roughly 35 hectares, all on the La Crau plateau, in the la Solitude lieu-dit.