Prieuré de St Jean de Bebian Coteaux du Languedoc 1998: The colour here suggests a little maturity, but there is still a lot of deep red pigment to be found, right out to the rather dusky rim. At first it shows some intense fruit, blackcurrants with a sweet pastille edge, but then a more attractive side, dense, solid and concentrated, blackberry fruit and wisps of smoke. The texture is dense and creamy, yet quite cool and detached, backed up by a dense extract. Through the midpalate more structure shows, with some ripe but dry tannins. This is quite broad in style, and is very pleasing, although it possesses a firm body and a dry character that makes this a good food wine, despite the richness behind it. Slightly tight tannins at the finish though; this is still on the way up. Very good indeed. 17+/20

Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues 1998: A wine with a fairly rich colour, showing some maturity with an orange-tinged rim. The nose certainly has interest, although with a rather distinctive array of aromas. We have cough candy sticks, Bovril, treacle toffee and most of all sweet, baked, sticky fruit. There is a vegetal character as well, one which, curiously, is more reminiscent of Pedro Ximénez than of Grenache. On the palate the same flavours follow through. This is a rich and rounded wine, but with no point of focus. It has a core of peppery tannins that seem to pervade inwards from the edges, but what acidity there is is completely subsumed by the baked fruit and tannin. It seems rather coarse and carries a rather obvious alcohol which influences the texture greatly; and the label admits to 15%. The finish yields pepper and spice, and little else. Overall, I find this disappointing. I am glad that this is my only bottle. 13/20

Domaine des Sénéchaux Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: It is about six years since I last had a bottle of this, and what a transformation over that time! This has an attractive colour, vibrant and red, showing little of the dusky, brick-coloured maturity that I expected. Nevertheless, it is more translucent than many other wines tasted here. The nose is very typical of Grenache, showing some smoky, cherry fruit and twiggy garrigue, with a touch of aniseed and liquorice, in a quite intense, lifted manner. Pure, dense, quite concentrated on the palate, with a really appealing extract and density, although it is not over the top. Ripe tannins, mostly integrated, essentially this is just about ready and it is certainly very enjoyable now, exceeding my expectations. Quite pure in style and nicely balanced. It has a fresher style than many of its peers, and I find that very appealing. 17/20

Domaine Font de Michelle Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: A good depth of colour but showing a mature hue. Lots of depth and complexity here, with very typical meaty, furry character with spiced fruits, orange peel and blueberries peppered with cloves and cinnamon. A nice, rounded texture on the palate, spice and pepper through the midpalate, still with a good current of tannins underneath it all. Good grip here too. Smoky character. There is depth and substance here but I don't find it to be overdone. Overall this is really rather good and has a more appealing style than many wines of the vintage. 16.5/20

Lucien Barrot Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: A year and a half since I last tasted this. Bottle number one was corked, so a replacement was produced. This second bottle has a nicely mature hue, but isn't showing an awful lot on the nose, just a little woody note, some Bovril and a weedy character. It has none of the attractive garrigue I found last time. Firmly structured if not a little too angular, with a dry tannic finish, although it is nicely textured. Nice weight. Flavours of raspberry liqueur, a touch of alcohol and heat. I don't think this is showing as well as the last bottle, and I think it may simply be going downhill. A shameful disappointment. 13/20

Perrin Les Sinards Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: From the Perrin family of Beaucastel fame. A rich, dark, concentrated hue, still carrying a very fine sediment despite some appropriate decanting. On the nose it initially has a feral character, but later reveals fleeting glimpses of ripe cherry fruit. It has a fine, defined quality to the nose, rather like the aroma of glossy, polished cherry skins, perhaps rubbed with black pepper and charcoal, rather than the scent of mere cherries alone. The palate is gentle at first, but tightens up through the midpalate to show lots of extract and some ripe, grainy tannins which give an appealing structure to the wine right through to a slightly chewy finish. There is a balanced presence of fruit and a well composed feel to it. To be critical it is rather soft behind the tannins, and the acidity seems a little subdued and detached, a vintage effect I imagine, but I find it very enjoyable nevertheless, and I think another year or two in bottle will bring even more pleasure. 16.5+/20

Domaine de la Solitude Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: There is a very fine sediment here, giving a slightly hazy appearance. The nose is warm, slightly feral, with more than a touch of black pepper. A good weight on the palate, and a well rounded, polished texture. It seems quite gentle through the midpalate and then firms up, showing a lot of spicy body through to the finish, where there is still quite some grip. It has a savoury, sappy style presented in a full, slightly soft fashion with gritty Grenache fruit with a little brown sugar sweetness to it also, which is a little disconcerting in a mature wine. Warming, cherry Grenache fruit liqueur. It all sounds a little blowsy but there is some good, firm structure beneath it all and the structure suggests there is further potential here yet. It is merely a question of whether the flavours appeal. 15+/20

Domaine Marcoux Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: A good colour, a fresh hue, but not so dense as many of the other wines. Initially it is a little volatile, although this soon goes to be replaced by a more meaty character, although it remains rather high-toned throughout. Underneath is dense, roasted fruit. It does have a slightly hot character though. Rich on entry, although it comes with a defining frame that is more obvious than many of the wines tasted here. There is also a lot of unresolved tannin, acidity and substance. In fact, there is a whole lot of everything, and towards the end even the alcohol starts to poke out at the edge. A bold, rather showy style despite its gentle appearance in the glass, and it is showing the warmth of the vintage, like many other wines tasted here. 14/20

Roger Sabon Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Prestige 1998: A lovely, enticing, glossy hue. An oxblood core, paling at the rim. The nose is beautiful, showing roasted meats, quite lifted and direct, with a little cherry fruit poking through. It is slightly high toned, and it is also showing a little orange peel and a savage, wild, horsehair character. Surprisingly then it starts off quite pure and creamy on the palate, although it broadens out and shows some muscle underneath it all through the midpalate. It seems to become more wild and savage towards the finish. This is very firm, a wine of real substance, but showing a good integration of texture and structure through to the end. Still some potential here. This is an impressive showing from this estate with which I am not really familiar. Very good indeed. 17.5+/20

Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: A mature hue, certainly not as dense as that of the Chante le Merle, this estate's top cuvée, which follows. An unusual nose, showing a curious mixture of calcareous rock and seashells along with a quite brawny, furry meat. Notes of mushrooms and also a raisined element which is not entirely pleasing. The palate is initially quite direct, but then quickly shows a lot of texture, a spicy, peppery tannic structure and a dry finish which, although infused with tannin and tangible dry extract, seem strangely unfocussed, losing its way on the finish. Nevertheless, although a brawny style, there is some nice definition through the midpalate, and some good leathery fruit over the grip and muscle. But on the whole it is a big bruiser of a wine, with a little over-obvious alcohol, even though the label declares only 13.5%. But it has some interesting flavours, alongside a touch of heat on the finish. I find some good points here, but don't think the style is really for me. 14/20

Bosquet des Papes Châteauneuf du Pape Chantemerle 1998: Of all the bottles in my cellar from this vintage, this is the one that has perplexed me most. Some previous bottles have been very brawny and volatile, sufficiently so for me to find them undrinkable. Others have been passable if not good. How would this bottle fare? In the glass it has a good deep colour, a mature hue but nevertheless this wine is still holding onto a lot of red pigment too. The nose is reassuring, showing lots of deep, spicy, meaty fruits although with a deep, raisined character. There is certainly a resemblance, on this basis, with the basic cuvée, and I think now, having tasted both together, I understand why I have struggled with this wine. There are some other complexities which demand further analysis, notes of intense, salty Bovril and balsamic vinegar, although the palate actually seems more harmonious than previous bottles. There is, surprisingly, quite firm acidity which helps, but with this there is a meaty texture, a sweet yet firm structure, and it is grippy and rich in extract and weight. It finishes well. I think my problem with this unusual wine is its edge of raisined, cough syrup fruit, which is a result of the hot vintage. I find it troubling, and it matches nuances, such as soy sauce, a medicinal character and especially the kick of alcohol that I have previously noted in the wine. I do not like it so much. Will it just fall apart? I am unsure; it will be fascinating to taste again in the future. 14.5?/20

Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes 1998: An attractive and rich hue, showing a little maturity but still with a lot of depth and red pigment at the core, leaving a fairly substantial coating of sediment in the bottle. The nose is really full of interest, showing firstly the fur and animal aspects that characterise the wines of the appellation, but then also aromas of sweet, roasted, honey-coated meats, bacon and baked cherries, before coming round full circle to a more savage, animal-skin character. There are also little notes of cream, blueberry and vanilla. Lots of substance on the palate, creamy and yet also a little brawny, as this wine is still carrying a lot of structure today. Good richness through the midpalate, seamless and yet not showing lots of elegance yet, the wine still has a lot of grip and stuffing to shed before we see that I think. But it is wonderful to drink now, especially with suitable food. Excellent, and certainly one of the better wines of the tasting. 18+/20

Domaine de Vieux Télégraphe Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: This wine shows some maturity in the glass, but it still has plenty of deep red pigment at its core. The nose has a fabulous depth, multilayered as it is, first showing wisps of smoke, then an intensely concentrated seam of earthy fruit, with a little note of roasted meat. Then nuances of orange peel and cloves make a brief appearance. The palate has a delicious weight, with decent acidity, and certainly there is a freshness to the palate, although it struggles, twisting and turning with the ripe and hearty fruit. There is a lovely depth to the fruit, although the style of the vintage does not allow it a fresh style. But it has a very enticing grip, and a slightly bitter charcoal tinge to the structure. It maintains a good presence in the mouth, and it has a good length. 18.5+/20

Chateau de Beaucastel Châteauneuf du Pape 1998: One of the few wines that I have subsequently acquired in quantity, which I first tasted in an impressive mini-vertical, also taking in the 1999, 2000 and 2001 - followed by the same vintages of Vieux Télégraphe. It was stunning then, and on this tasting it remains so. It has only a moderately deep, gently maturing colour. The nose does have some baked fruit elements to it, which I commented on when I last tasted this wine, but unlike some other wines in this tasting it is not the predominant feature. There is a twiggy, Grenache-fruit element to it, as well as roasted meats, and exotic notes of cloves and curry spices. The palate carries richness, but it also carries excellent acidity, and a slightly more backward feel than many of its peers. It has a lovely broad presence in the mouth though, and although it shows tannic grip and definition it also has a complete although very masculine feel to it. Delicious wine with fabulous potential for the future; I expect this will drink well for well over a decade yet, if not for two. 19+/20