The score for 2005 Paul Autard Cuvee La Cote Ronde CdP is 94 from Robert Parker and the tasting note - The 2005 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee La Cote Ronde is undeniably the best wine Autard has made since the 1998 rendition of this cuvee. This got a big “Wow!” when I smelled it. A stunning nose of black truffles, melted licorice, blackberries, and sweet cherries is followed by a multi-dimensional, multi-layered, full-bodied wine with tremendous power, richness, and a hint of barrique. One could say this is modern, but the Provencal personality jumps from the glass of this meaty, dense wine. Give it 2-3 years of bottle age and drink it over the following 15+ years. At times proprietor Paul Autard has clearly moved into the modern school of Chateauneuf du Pape with the use of barriques, still very much a minority school, but like so many who have experimented with new oak for the Syrah or Mourvedre components, there seems to be a gradual shifting back from the percentage of new oak to larger barrel formats such as demi-muids, etc. I felt this was Paul Autard’s strongest lineup of wines since his 1998s.