Domaine de Marcoux, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes 2005

Dark red. Suave, room-filling aromas evoke red fruits, lavender, rose, minerals and pungent herbs. Overwhelms the palate with sweet raspberry, cherry, cassis and floral pastille flavors, picking up silky tannins with air. Gains power on the finish, which displays uncanny depth and clarity. A stunner.

This bottle of 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes holds its cards slightly close to its vest and offers a firm, concentrated, youthful feel in its darker fruits, scorched earth, licorice and mineral-laced bouquet. Full-bodied, structured and concentrated, yet with the seamless texture this cuvee always possesses, it should hit full maturity in another 2-3 years and keep for a decade or more after that.

Tasted from magnum, the 2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is perfumed and seductive, with earthy forest floor, a touch of mushroom and spice box complexity. Full-bodied and very much alive, the 2005 shows striking intensity and concentration, finishing long, nuanced and savory. This is drinking splendidly today and should continue to hold in fine form for at least five more years, especially in larger formats.