2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

"Two thousand five reminds me a lot of 2001 right now," Christophe Sabon told me. "The wines have great power and structure but also excellent fruit. They will be for the cellar." Sabon attended school in Beaune and the Burgundian influence seems to have rubbed off on his wines: although rich and deeply flavored, they are also vividly fruity, with supple textures and polished tannins. "Of course, our wines will always be rich-this is Chateauneuf, after all-but I don't want them to be monsters," he added. This is a large property, with 55 hectares of vines, about 15 of them in Chateauneuf. Perhaps of interest to those holding older vintages, a 2003 straight Chateauneuf was impressively fresh and sweet, with vibrant red berry fruit and a long, smoky finish. And a bottle of 1999 Chateauneuf Vieilles Vignes was packed with blueberry, cassis and black truffle flavors, and finished with youthfully chewy tannic grip and wonderful length. I wouldn't be in a rush to open either of them.

Christophe Sabon commented that the 2005 vintage "is incredible for its high acidity, high tannin levels and abundant fruit. It's not like anything I've ever seen." The wines here are as ripe and powerful as ever but Sabon is working to preserve balance and purity. "Chateauneuf should be the most elegant wine of the south, and we need to emphasize that," he summarized.