96 Robert Parker - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

"A star of the vintage is the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Mon Aieul. It is hard to believe how great this wine has turned out to be. I called it last year, and I'm thrilled to see how utterly profound it is. Essentially very old vine Grenache from three different terroirs (the sands of Les Serres, the clay of Guignasse, and the limestone of La Crau), aged 80% in cement tanks and 20% in old barrels, it boasts a dense plum/purple color followed by a glorious bouquet of black cherries, blackberries, truffles, lavender, licorice, and spring flowers. The color is one of the darkest of the vintage, and the wine is extremely full-bodied and rich with intense levels of extract and tannin, but the latter is gorgeously sweet and well-integrated. Still young and primary, this 2006 will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age, and drink well for 15-20."