Domaine du Val des Rois Cuvee Signature Cotes du Rhone Villages Valreas, 2004

The first sniff of this wine cast a spell over me: dark cherries reduced to their essence plus some peppery spice. Haunting--not quite like any Southern Rhone I've smelled. On the palate, the wine is also special. Spicy fruit, velvety texture and very concentrated flavors on the mid palate. The flavors are ripe with a strong boysenberry fruit but also dry with a black pepper edge. Only a hint of pepper, though. Valreas is a fine appellation in its own right, but this wine, tasted blind, could easily pass for a traditionally made Chateauneuf du Pape.