Domaine Jean Deydier et Fils Les Clefs d'Or Chateauneuf du Pape, 1989

I am always surprised that Les Clefs d'Or doesn't attract more attention among Chateauneuf du Pape drinkers. I have been enjoying the wine since the 1981 vintage and have never had a disappointing bottle. When I visited the area back in the early 1990s, it was one of the wineries I chose to visit, along with Domaine Pegau and Beaucastel. Since that time, Pegau and Beaucastel have gained considerable fame and now sell for $60 to $80 a bottle while Les Clefs d'Or can usually be found on close-out shelves--if at all. It's never flashy but always solid.

Deep crimson, considerably darker than the younger Chante le Merle (below). This is clearly a different style of wine--more structure, more depth and more complexity. Strawberries but also black raspberries and violets. One difference is that Les Clefs d'Or has 15% Mourvedre, and that gives it good structure and staying power. Some will prefer the old vines Grenache, but I still like Jean Deydier's wine--at less than half the price.