Closerie de Vaudieu 2000 £15.99
Its glorious perfume, generous well-endowed flavours, sumptuous texture, and heady alcohol, evoke an image of hedonism.'' As a fellow lover of Chateauneuf, you'll appreciate, I'm sure Robert Parker's homage to this world classic in his 'Wines of the Rhone' ... but not every bottle that bears the famous, embossed crest of Chateauneuf lives up to this description. However, our buyers have unearthed a real gem that more than justifies it. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is without doubt the jewel in the southern Rhone's crown and it shone ever so brightly in 2000. ''Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the star ... intense, full-throttle, seductive'' (Robert Parker). Vaudieu's old vine fruit produced wine of prodigious power and luxurious depth - but in low volumes. The estate's old vines, amidst a sea of galets, produce fruit of wonderfully concentrated flavour. ''Pick only those bunches you would be happy to eat'', demands Laurent Brechet (left), owner and mastermind behind Closerie de Vaudieu. His 2000 is a seamless blend of three Chateauneuf specialities - power-packed Grenache, succulent Syrah and a splash of aromatic Mouvedre - all painstakingly hand-picked to preserve their intensity. Laurent's insatiable drive for quality ensures that full fruit flavour is retained right through to bottling ... add what is now five years of extra maturity - and you have deliciously complex, absolutely classic Chateauneuf - true to its terroir and a wonderful expression of a stunning vintage. Deep ruby-red in colour with subtle, purple hues. A heady nose of fresh, ripe cherries and crushed damsons gives way to spicy notes. The palate is rich with bramble fruits and cassis, whilst hints of liquorice and herbs linger on the long finish.