2005 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Spéciale

Michel Tardieu told me that July 2006 in the southern Rhone was almost as hot as it had been in 2003 and that this was followed by "one of the coolest Augusts on record, which saved the vintage, no doubt." Tardieu believes that his 2006 wines "have a lot in common with 2004, but with deeper fruit-maybe a bit like 2005 in that respect." In the north, Tardieu noted, "2006 is marked by great freshness and minerality, not unlike 2004, but with some of the power of 2005. The wines will be delicious young." He went on: "The grapes tended to be small and thick-skinned, so there is sufficient tannin for aging. They were slow to show their personalities through the fermentations and we weren't sure which way they were headed until the end. It was a strange year-unlike 2005, which was a dream."

The set of 2005s I tasted with negociant Michel Tardieu and his enologist, the Zelig-like Philippe Cambie, showed more restraint and elegance than I was expecting. "It was possible to make wines with both finesse and power in 2005, which is why it is such a fantastic vintage in the north as well as the south," Tardieu told me. "In the south, the grenache achieved color like never before; the tannins are abundant and the wines have great concentration. It is essential to cellar them to allow their full potential to be expressed. "Tardieu's fruit sources include many of the top growers and sites throughout the Rhone Valley. (Martin-Scott Wines, Lake Success, NY; also Chemin des Vins, imported by Wine Warehouse, Los Angeles, CA, Fine Vines, Chicago, IL; William Harrison Imports, Manassas, VA) Also recommended: 2004 Cotes du Rhone Guy Louis (87). Other wines tasted: 2004 Saint-Joseph Vieilles Vignes (?).