CDP Clos des Papes, Paul Avril Clos des Papes 2009

The 2009 is showing better out of bottle than it was last year. Gorgeous kirsch liqueur notes, raspberry jam, forest floor, spice box, new saddle leather and a peppery spiciness are all present in this deep, voluptuously textured, open-knit Clos des Papes, which is atypically forward, luscious and approachable already. These wines often need a good 5-10 years of cellaring in the more structured vintages, but the 2009 is gorgeous from the get-go. This full-bodied, deep, concentrated wine has a deep purple color and should drink well for 20-25 years without ever really closing down. Readers may want to think of this as a slightly more concentrated version of the 2003, which is one of the great stars of that vintage.

Coming from older vines and composed of 70% Mourvèdre and the rest an even split of Grenache, Syrah, and Counoise, the 2009 Châteauneuf Du Pape Hommage A Jacques Perrin is younger and more unevolved, revealing ripe blue fruits, violets, cured meats, and graphite. It's full-bodied and concentrated, with remarkably sweet, pure fruit on the palate, a beautiful mid-palate, and fine, focusing, sweet tannins. This killer wine is still youthful, with a blockbuster finish. It’s one of the most youthful wines in the vintage, and well-stored bottles will clearly keep for another two decades. Drink: 2025-2044.

Deep ruby. Intensely perfumed cherry, garrigue and flowers on the nose, plus notes of licorice and smoky Moroccan spices. At once fleshy and sappy, with incisive, spicy red fruit flavors complicated by herbs and floral pastilles. Finishes spicy and with superb intensity, echoing the spice and floral notes emphatically. This sample was a blend from five of Avril's giant, mostly old foudres Avril averred that "14.5% alcohol is the jumping off point for high-quality grenache, any less and the flavors aren't complete. This should be just above that so it will be fresh and balanced."

This year for the first time he's made a blended cuvée for tasters because he found the blend in the glass didn't last very well. We tasted each of his five separate cuves: one Grenache dominated and rich; one with more Syrah and liquorice and stricter; one all cherry charm; one very sappy with lovely ripe tannins. The blend: still a little reduced even after a long walk of swirling round the chai but there is class here. But it's meaty and masculine. He thinks it will close up fast after bottling in May 2011. A bit of liquorice and leather on the nose but wonderful richness on the palate, glorious breadth and the tannins are nowhere to be seen! Majestic. Great power but no beast, early signs are very good indeed. Structure and fine tannins, lightly leathery, starts to close a little on the end but it's really a miracle of improvement over the five lovely ingredients. Drink 2020-2035