(bottled two weeks before my visit) Red-ruby. Aromas of pruneau, licorice and spicecake, with a suggestion of caramel. Sweet and supple; voluminous and aromatic. But less complex in the middle palate than the Gigondas. Finishes with substantial, slightly tarry tannins that seem a tad dry after the bottling.

Guigal's 1999 Chateauneuf du Pape (85% Grenache) is a sweet, aromatic effort displaying notes of kirsch liqueur, Havana tobacco, cedar, dried Provencal herbs, and hints of pepper as well as balsam wood. This lightly tannic, delicious Chateauneuf can be enjoyed now and over the next 10-12 years.