2004 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée

"Two thousand four is really my style," Laurence Feraud told me in November. "I like the vibrancy, clarity and balance of the vintage. It reminds me of 2001, which I also adore. "As to 2005, Feraud describes it as "all about fruit, red and black. The wine is very fresh and expressive. "The frenzied pursuit by wine collectors of this estate's Da Capo bottling has clearly gotten to Feraud, who has made the decision not to bottle either a 2004 or 2005 version of this super-cuvee-this despite the fact that both vintages are clearly of a quality to warrant it. Her experience dealing with obsessive trophy-hunters chasing her 2003 Capo has clearly weirded her out. "I had people who I've done business with for years, people who I considered friends, saying the most incredibly mean things when they couldn't get more of it," she said. She then regaled me with hair-raising stories of customers who seem incapable of comprehending "non. ""What is it about these people?" she asked. (Hand-Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA; J et R Selections, Mt. Pleasant, MI; Martine's Wines, Novato, CA)

Paul Feraud appears to know each foudre and tank in his sprawling cellar by name.He is also quite willing to offer candid assessments of his wines and to explain the nuances and personalities of each component.The 2003 vintage here is a big success but Feraud clearly struggled with this difficult year."The vintage has an execrable character," was the way he described it to me."It changes from day to day."The estate's 2003 reds were not yet bottled in November and the flagship Cuvee Reservee is scheduled for release in early 2006.In contrast, 2004 was a much easier year in which "the fruit was harvested under exceptional conditions and the wine was a pleasure to make."Feraud told me he wishes his wines were drunk with more bottle age than seems to be the current trend since "you really need to wait at least ten years to get the real aromas of Chateauneuf."(Hand-Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA; J&R Selections, Mt. Pleasant, MI; Martine's Wines, Novato, CA)