1999 Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Jean-Denis Vacheron is now making some of the ripest, richest examples of Chateauneuf du Pape in a Burgundian style. Certainly, when it comes to his habit of minimal racking and his preference for new or newish barrels, Vacheron is a Burgundian type. His technique has evolved quickly since he began vinifying in 1996, and here is one domain where the '99s seem every bit as strong as the superb '98s. Vacheron now routinely harvests both syrah and grenache in surmaturite "because I have to wait until the interplanted mourvedre is ripe enough." But he is still obsessed with maintaining fresh acidity, which requires great precision in harvesting. "The alcohol/acidity moment is critical," he notes, adding that "1999 brought my best acidity to date." Vacheron's wines entice with a perfume of dark fruits, minerals, spices, flowers and game. (A Peter Vezan Selection; imported by North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; Import!, Madison, WI; and Dionysos Imports, Lorton, VA)

Jean-Denis Vacheron, son of Jean-Louis Vacheron, the co-owner of Domaine Vacheron in Sancerre, took over winemaking duties here in time to vinify the '96s and finish the levage of the '95s. "But 1998 was the first vintage to show my style," he told me in November. Vacheron brings a northerner sensibility to the job; with his love of sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, it's no surprise that his wines display a sappy freshness of red fruit flavors even when they're from fruit harvested at potential alcohol in excess of 15%. Fans of affordable viognier should check out this domain's 1999 Cotes du Rhone Bouquet des Garrigues, a wine with 16% alcohol and aged in 100% new oak. Its aromas of peach, apricot, almond, spice and anise are remarkably fresh, and despite its great fat and fullness the wine almost magically maintains its balance. "This is the most sauvignon of the wines of the South," observes Vacheron.