Very alluring, with linzer torte and plum cake notes pumping through, flecked liberally with anise and mesquite accents along the way. A nice red licorice strip adds contrast on the finish, with its sappy edge, while a...

Saturated ruby. Assertively perfumed, mineral-tinged red berry, cherry, lavender and incense scents show outstanding clarity and spicy lift. Concentrated yet lively black raspberry, cherry-cola, succulent herb and floral...

Looking much improved from my previous tasting, Bertrand Gonnet's 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Lieu Dit les Combes showcases briary, herbal notes backed by black cherries, blackberries and blueberries. Full-bodied, rich and...

Deep magenta. A complex, intensely perfumed bouquet evokes black raspberry, kirsch and lavender, along with vibrant mineral and exotic spice flourishes. Incisive red and dark berry, bitter cherry and succulent herb...

A much more powerful wine based on 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina reminds me slightly of the 2011 with its spicy, perfumed, complex bouquet of red and black fruits, dried...

Checking in as a blend of 65% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest a handful of varieties, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape was brought up in a mix of foudre and older barrels. This deep ruby/purple-hued effort...

(92-94 points) The base Gigondas, the 2018 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes is a blend from both the La Louisiane and Pigière lieux-dits near the estate (due to the dismal yields, there’s no Souteyrade cuvée in 2018) and is 80%...

(95 - 97 points) Still in concrete at the time of my visit, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Grenaches de Pierre looks to be another prodigious effort. Gorgeous aromas of stone fruit and ripe cherries mingle easily with...

In contrast to the bigger, richer Deus-Ex Machina, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Combe Des Fous is all about finesse and elegance, probably due to the inclusion of Cinsault and Vaccarese in the blend. Deeper...

A dark, winey style, with lots of fig, plum and blackberry paste flavors layered together, with sweet tobacco, licorice snap and warm earth accents filling in. Packed but defined, with a graphite spine through the finish...

I am loving all the perfectly ripe Mourvedre here as it imparts such a cool, peppery, meaty, full-bodied quality to the layers of plums, kirsch, black raspberries and cherries. The wine is dark, deep, opulent and rich, as...

Saturated ruby. Assertively perfumed, mineral-tinged red berry, cherry, lavender and incense scents show outstanding clarity and spicy lift. Concentrated yet lively black raspberry, cherry-cola, succulent herb and floral...

Lastly, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve is another magical wine, and I might have rated this cuvée a perfect score more than any other Southern Rhône. Unquestionably in the same realm as the 2017, 2016, 2010, 2005...

The saturated purple-hued 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De La Reine Des Bois is another brilliant wine from this estate. Made from 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Syrah and Vaccarèse (as well as a few other...

(94+ points) The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is terrific, offering classic darker berry fruits as well as peppery garrigue and sappy flower notes. As with the Boisrenard release, this has plenty of tannins and structure, but...

Brandy-soaked black cherries and crushes of basalt introduce this intensely fruity but peppery, salt-rimmed red. A blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre, it's concentrated but maintains a mineral freshness and...

Up with the crème de la crème of the vintage, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a bigger, richer wine than the Les Origines cuvée and has a beautiful core of smoked black fruits, candied violets, peppery...

More framboise, strawberries, dried herbs, and savory, loamy earth-like notes emerge from the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Croix De Bois, another 100% Grenache release from Chapoutier that's brought up all in concrete tanks...

(98+ points) One of the gems in the vintage is the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Barbe Rac, a 100% Grenache that was destemmed and brought up all in concrete tanks. Darker berries, ground pepper, graphite, and savory garrigue...

Lastly, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Sanctus Sanctorum is always all Grenache from a single parcel of very old vines in the La Crau lieu-dit. I wouldn't be surprised if there was a touch of whole cluster here, but in...

(96+ points) More cassis, morello cherry, Asian spice, and a beautiful sense of minerality and loamy earth emerge from the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Trois Sources, a full-bodied, concentrated blend of 60% Grenache, 15%...

(92-94 points) Bright violet. Highly perfumed blue fruit and floral pastille aromas, along with suggestions of allspice and candied licorice. Velvety and expansive on the palate, offering juicy boysenberry and black...

The classic 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, and the rest a mix of varieties, raised two years in foudre. Gorgeous and incredibly Provençal notes of ripe cherries...

This is ripe, juicy and mouthfilling, with lots of enticing raspberry, boysenberry and fig compote flavors enlivened with anise, fruitcake and mulling spice accents. Shows good energy through the finish. Grenache, Syrah...

(90-92 points) In addition to their brilliant Chateauneuf du Papes, this estate makes two terrific Rasteau. Their 2018 Rasteau offers a medium to full-bodied, fruit-forward, balanced style as well as the more blue fruit...

Young, and filled with promise, due to its multiple layers of sweet, silky, ripe, juicy, red fruits, licorice and spice. Round in texture, if you can't keep your hands off your stash, I understand as it's tasting great...

After tasting the 2005 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée two separate times from varying casks and barrels at the domaine, this was my first taste from bottle and I certainly wasn't disappointed...

With loads of black raspberries, spicy kirsch, thyme and herbs the wine is soft, silky, fresh and lively. The purity in the fruits stands out here on the mid-palate and in the lush, fruit filled, elegant finish. This can...

Marvelously complex, deeply fruited and massively concentrated yet wonderfully drinkable, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin challenges the number of superlatives that can be thrown at it. Scents of...

(90-92 points) There are two Rasteau from this reference point Châteauneuf du Pape producer. Starting with the 2019 Rasteau, it has plenty of chocolatey black raspberry and cherry fruits as well as loads of minerality...