2007 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Château Fortia "Cuvée Baron" (Pre-Arrival)

91-94 points Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar: "Medium red. Alluring bouquet of fresh red berries, kirsch, minerals and rose. Elegant, delineated red fruit flavors are firmed by tangy minerals and framed by dusty tannins. Becomes spicier on the focused, long finish. This will age on its balance." (Jan/Feb '09) 55% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre. Medium-plus intensity. Deep, dark berried fruits accompanied by subtle hints of earth, spice and gamy notes. Medium-plus bodied, with medium, ripe tannins and fine underlying acidity. A very nice, elegant example of the vintage, with ripe fruit, but no signs of sur-maturite. (Mulan Chan, K&L Wine Merchants) Chateau Fortia has sealed its reputation as one of the most influential estates in the history of French wine as well as Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It was the Baron Pierre Le Roy de Boiseumarie, a family member who owned the Chateau at the turn of the 20th century, who organized a syndicate of growers to institute a series of strict regulations for the appellation, including delimited area of production, authorized varietals, methods of cultivation and vinification, and minimum alcohol levels. This self-imposed charter became the basis for France's appellation controlee (A.O.C.) system. Today, the domaine is upholding its lofty standards, producing wines of character and elegance, all the while garnering more converts with each vintage. ETA for this wine is late fall 2009.