CDP Côtes Capelan, La Ferme du Mont 2010

The prodigious 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Cotes Capelan boasts abundant notes of acacia flowers interwoven with blackberries, black raspberries, licorice, incense and a touch of graphite. The wine hits the palate with tremendous authority, impressive purity, a skyscraper-like texture and a full-bodied, layered finish that lasts for nearly 50 seconds. This remarkable Chateauneuf du Pape has a natural yet seductive feel. Drink it over the next two decades.

One of the more exciting, relatively new estates in the southern Rhone is La Ferme du Mont, which is run with considerable enthusiasm as well as meticulous attention to detail by Stephane Vedeau. I bought his 2007s and am thrilled I did so as they combine the best of the southern Rhone with a Burgundian grand cru-like gracefulness and elegance. His 2011 and 2010 offerings are both outstanding, with the latter vintage possibly better than his 2007s. Readers should also check out this estate's impressive Cotes du Rhones. Stephane Vedeau not only fashions exquisite Chateauneuf du Pape, but also terrific Cotes du Rhones.

The best Côtes Capelan yet, the 2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a spectacular bottle of wine that oozes class and elegance! Deeply colored, it offers up a perfumed, complex, and decidedly fresh bouquet of black and blue fruits, violets, spring flowers, forest floor, resin, and cracked pepper that is rich and decadent, yet also refined and vividly clear and delineated. This full-bodied 2010 has a seamless, focused texture, gorgeous freshness, and a firm, very focused and structured finish. Nothing is out of place, it is perfectly balanced, and has more than enough structure and depth to evolve for upwards of two decades. Hats off to proprietor Stéphane Vedeau and this is an estate the needs to be on every Châteauneuf-du-Pape lovers radar!