2005 Chateauneuf du Pape

Mont-Olivet did well in this classic, structured vintage. The traditional Châteauneuf du Pape offers old-school notes of ground pepper, roasted herbs, cedar plank, dried spice and sweet cherries that flow to a medium-bodied, fresh, focused profile on the palate. This still has a firm edge to its tannin, but has outstanding fruit and density, all suggesting it will continue to evolve gracefully.

80% Grenache, 10% Syrah. From lieux-dits: Montalivet, Le Pied de Baud. 40% destemmed. 65% foudres and 25% tank. 55,000 bottles produced. pH 3.7, RS 0.7 g/l. Harvested 12 September to 4 October. Mid ruby with a rusty rim. Heady, just this side of volatile. Lots of fun. Round and mellow. Perhaps without a really strong, convincingly energetic core of fruit but it should give pleasure. The tannins are still lightly present. (JR)

(North Berkeley cuvee Medium red. Fresh raspberry and cherry scents are complicated by blood orange, incense and smoked meat. Very spicy on the palate, with deep red berry preserve flavors and a finishing jolt of sweet mocha. Doesn't show the oak influence one might expect from a wine raised completely in barriques; on the contrary, this is flat-out pure and graceful.