Last week, I reported on a tasting of Champagnes at the Whitehouse Crawford Restaurant in Walla Walla. This week, I am writing about another tasting, held the following week, featuring Chateauneuf du Papes. This South Rhone Appellation allows the use of about a dozen different varieties of grapes, Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Counoise, Syrah and others. The wines, mostly from the 2012 vintage varied according to the combination of grapes and winemaking style. Again, Jenna Bicknell, the restaurant manager, prepared tasting sheets and poured the wines.

2013 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc - A small amount of white wine, this one 50% Roussanne, 50% Clairette, and a tiny amount of Grenache Blanc from very old vines, is made in Chateauneuf du Pape. This one showed a medium gold color and a lovely floral nose of pear, peach, wisteria and white violets. The flavors were fresh and lively, somewhat lighter bodied yet with distinct minerality and zesty verve on the lingering finish. 19/20 points.

2010 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc - Composed of equal parts of Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Picpoul, this showed a light gold color and intriguing aromas of lilac, lemon peel, lemongrass and acacia flowers. The medium bodied flavors were well extracted, with notes of pear, peach an citrus, and a distinct saline character and flinty minerality, followed by a lingering juicy finish. 19+/20 points.

2012 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape - This was 75% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault, along with small amounts of other varieties, from vines 50-100 years old. All varieties except Mourvèdre were fermented together. It showed a medium ruby color and lovely, almost ethereal, nose of wild raspberries, cranberries and red currants, with scents of rose petals, orange peel, violets and white pepper. The flavors were rich and satiny, with notes of white chocolate, herbal tea and minerals. The back picked up framboise liqueur and orange peel, followed by a lingering, feminine finish. Superb elegance. 19.5/20 points.

2012 Domaine Pierre Usseglio & Fils Chateauneuf du Pape - Composed of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault, 2% Counoise and 2% Muscardin,from 30 to 65 year old vines planted in sand and rock. It exhibited a medium ruby color and seductive aromas of wild raspberries, red currants, wild roses, lavender and violets, with whiffs of white incense. The flavors were equally enticing, with finely wrought fruits spreading out on the palate, imbued with cocoa powder, tea, and finely ground minerals. The back picked up framboise and cassis liqueurs, and orange peel, followed by satiny tannins on the finish. 19+/20 points.

2012 Bousquet des Papes "Cuvée Tradition" Chateauneuf du Pape - From a domaine, with cobblestone, sand and clay limestone soil, owned by the Boiron family for six generations, this is a combination of 75% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 3% Cinsault. This vintage showed a brilliant medium ruby color and rich, earthy aromas of raspberry, cranberry, red peach, crushed roses, bark, orange peel and violets. The flavors mirrored the aromatics with finely wrought red fruits and stony earth minerals. On the back, the wine turned chewy textured, leading into a long moderate tannin finish. 19+/20 points.

2012 Clos des Brusquières Chateauneuf du Pape - This one was composed of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. It displayed a brilliant medium ruby color and intriguing aromas of raspberry, red plum, cherry, ruhbarb, crushed roses, tobacco, dried orange peel and lavender. The flavors mirrored the aromatics with licorice, cocoa powder, cola, and "mas" gravel. The chewy textured back picked up pressed berries, and framboise and kirsch liqueurs, followed by a long, velvety finish. 19/20 points.

2012 Château Fortia "La Cuvée du Baron" Chateauneuf du Pape - A blend of 44% Grenache, 44% Syrah and 12% Mourvèdre, this showed a brilliant ruby color and intriguing aromas of raspberry, red plum, cherry, mulberry and currants, with scents of crushed roses, tobacco, orange peel and lavender. The thick, chewy texture reflected the higher percentage of Syrah, with notes of dark chocolate, black tea and earth. The back picked up squeezed berries, kirsch and creme de cassis, followed by a direct sweet-dry finish. 18.5+/20 points.

2011 Clos des Papes Chateauneuf du Pape - Composed of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and 5% other varieties, all cofermented, this exhibited a medium brick red color and an exotic nose of wild raspberries, red currants, red wild flowers, orange peel, violets and spiced oriental incense. The red fruit flavors were open and lavish, yet focused, intermixed with licorice, and white chocolate, showing old vine (50+ years) character, all persisting on a liqueur infused precise finish. Can go another 10 years. 19.5/20 points.

2005 Domaine du Pegau "Cuvée Laurence" Chateauneuf du Pape - This was a superb example of maturing CdP. Composed of 80% Grenache, 12% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre, and 4% miscellaneous varieties, this showed a deep, brilliant brick red color and a rich, smoky, sensuous nose of wild fruits - blackberry, raspberry, black currant, orange peel - and scents of attar of rose, sandalwood, lavender and smoldering oriental incense. The flavors were equally seductive, with a panopoly of chewy red fruits, intermixed with dark chocolate, black licorice, roasted nuts, turning into a sensuous "velours" texture on the incredibly long finish. Still young, this could go another 10-20 years. The Cuvée Laurence is made only in the best years. 20/20 points.