2006 Clos St Jean Chateuneuf du Pape

The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits garrigue, pepper, incense, and meaty black cherry notes interwoven with heady levels of glycerin, abundant sex appeal, and a full-bodied, fleshy finish. It should provide superb drinking over the next 10-15 years.

What a remarkable group of wines is emerging from proprietor Vincent Maurel, who works with the genius of Southern Rhone viticulture and winemaking, Philippe Cambie. A succession of superb wines began at this estate in 2003, when it finally began to live up to its superb potential (Clos Saint-Jean is one of the largest holders of top vineyards in Chateauneuf du Pape, with 120 acres, including some of the finest sites for old vine Grenache and Mourvedre). This may well be one of the most exciting addresses not only in France, but in the entire wine world. As the following notes testify, the 2006s are even more profound from bottle than they were from foudre and demi-muids. Moreover, 2007 may be the finest vintage at Clos Saint-Jean since 2003. Readers should keep in mind that Maurel and Cambie have aged the old vine Grenache in old foudres and some 600-liter demi-muids, but the Syrah and Mourvedre components are kept in small barrels. In short, these wines are not to be missed! To reiterate, as mind-blowing as the 2007s are, I believe that along with Clos des Papes and a handful of other domaines, Clos St.-Jean’s 2006s are the wines of the vintage. RP Issue 179

LA Times Wine of the Week, December 31, 2008
Why not ring in the new year with a bottle of full-blooded Chateauneuf-du-Pape from one of the appellation's top-tier estates? That would be the 2006 Clos Saint Jean "Vieilles Vignes," which has everything a good Chateauneuf should have: seductive notes of licorice, dark plums and spices; soft, ripe tannins; and a finespun elegance. Full of character, the deep ruby 2006 is made up of 75% old-vine Grenache and 15% Syrah, with the balance made up of Mourvèdre, Cinsault and a few other grapes in minuscule quantities. That's oenologist Philippe Cambie working his magic with grapes from some of Chateauneuf's finest vineyards.