2008 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Tradition

Nicolas Boirot compared 2009 to 1989 "with the distinction that we're doing far better work now than we were 20 years ago, which can be said for almost everybody in Chateauneuf, actually. A mediocre vintage now should strictly be because of really horrible weather, which we can't control," he went on. "There's really no longer any excuse for not making the most of a vintage, and a year like 2008, for example, could be saved by work in the vineyards and selection in the cellar. Most people couldn't afford to make as many sacrifices back in the '80s and before that as we do now." Speaking of 2008, there is a single bottling of Chateauneuf from this vintage, and it includes the estate's old-vines fruit (as much as 90 years old), which usually goes into their high-end bottlings.

"The good thing about 2008 is that the wines are easy to drink right now," said Nicolas Boiron. "If you can accept that they aren't meant to age and shouldn't be viewed in the context of 2007 and 2009, then you can find some delicious wines to drink over the next few years." He added that his production was off by over 50% in '08 and that he decided to make just a single bottling of Chateauneuf this vintage. Boiron considers 2007 to be the best vintage he has ever made, emphasizing that "the wines are deceptively agreeable now, because of their rich fruit, which is hiding the tannins and maybe always will."