Xavier Vignon. One of the finest winemakers you’ve never heard of. Xavier keeps a low profile, though he’s the mind behind a number of seriously high profile estates in Chateaneuf du Pape. Raymond Usseglio, La Gardine, Jerome Quiot, Beaurenard, La Nerthe, Mont Redon, Marcoux and Grand Veneur. That’s a few big-time names, right? So when it came time for Xavier and his partners to make their own signature Chateauneuf, you’d probably have a pretty good idea that the wine would be damn fine. Oh, yeah, it’s damn fine and then some. Cuvée Anonyme - named as such because if he told you where he got the fruit for this wine from, he’d have to kill you... And the guy likes to have some fun. Hey, wine is fun, right? His blends are thoughtful, innovative and the shot in the arm that the southern Rhone needs right now. Young talented vintner, fabulous vines served up on a silver platter, monster adoration from the press, we see a lot of parallels here with the Westside Paso posse (Saxum, Linne Calodo, etc.). The only exceptions being the vines are older, and the wines aren’t as pricey. Hmm - this is making a heckuva lot of sense right about now.