The most promising wine of the southern Rhone wines was their 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape blanc, which has a hefty dosage of the rare Picardin in the blend along with Bourboulenc and Grenache blanc. This is a beautifully exotic wine with notes of tropical fruits, medium to full body, and a crisp, long finish. This is a beauty, but sadly only 4,000 were produced. Although there’s been a change of ownership, with the Frey family (proprietors of Chateau La Lagune) taking over the reins starting with the 2006 vintage, and hiring famed Bordeaux professor of oenology, Denis Dubourdieu, to make the wines, it is still difficult to get a fix on just what is going to occur. The white wines seem to already have improved dramatically. The reds lag behind, and that will be evidenced by my reviews of the northern Rhone cuvees that will appear in a future issue. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700

The powerhouse, medium to full-bodied 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape blanc includes a lot of Picardin in the blend, giving it plenty of exotic, honeysuckle, orange, and tropical fruit notes. Rich and tasty, it should drink well for 1-2 years. Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700

Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700

Importer: Frederick Wildman, New York, NY; tel. (212) 355-0700