A brooding, dark version, with a floral perfume followed by a concentrated stream of black licorice, currant and mulberry notes edged in graphite. Alder smoke hovers throughout the rich, round palate, with softened...

Spicy, peppery, black raspberries, flowers, smoky herbs, and kirsch notes are all over the aromatics. The palate is even better with its layers of sweet, ripe, dark red fruits, spices, herbs, elegant, supple-textures, and...

A richly styled, opulent Châteauneuf that offers a streamlined cascade of ripe cherry, licorice root and toasted chestnut. Mineral energy keeps this powering long distance, with a smoldering foundation of iron. Starts off...

Vivid ruby. A complex, spice-accented bouquet displays cherry cola, cassis and floral oil scents. Expressive, appealingly sweet red and dark berry and bitter cherry flavors are complemented by hints of baking spices and...

Glass-staining ruby. Hugely perfumed, mineral-accented black and blue fruit preserves, floral oil, olive paste, pipe tobacco and exotic spice aromas show superb clarity and pick up a hint of smokiness with air. Juicy and...

Just a step behind the La Chapelle this vintage, the 2020 Hermitage La Maison Bleue expresses the non-granitic side of Hermitage, in its opulent fruit and early accessibility. Ripe cherries and raspberries dominate the...

Densely packed with dark plum, boysenberry and black cherry reduction notes, this is nonetheless reserved in style, as graphite, alder, black tea and sweet tobacco nuances flicker in the background. The finish is tightly...

The pale ruby-colored 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape opens with rose water, raspberry, strawberry, dried herbs and licorice aromas. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and built around a smooth tannic structure with absolutely...

The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Le Vieux Donjon is a beautifully balanced, classic expression of the appellation, as well as this estate. It has a vivid purple hue, with ripe berry fruits, peppery herbs, floral, and...

A full-throttle and decadent red, this unfurls layer after layer of spiced fruit cake, plum and cherry liqueur grounded by graphite and smoke notes, plus plum skin bitterness. Ripe tannins melt into the structure of the...

The full-bodied 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Hommage à Jacques Perrin is one of the finest wines of the vintage. Precisely sculpted strawberry, raspberry, crushed violet, licorice, tangerine peel and lavender aromas emerge...

A racy nose of black fruits, smoke, wet earth and violets. Medium- to full-bodied with fine tannins and bright acidity. It has tension and balance with plenty of blueberries on the palate and a supple finish. Drink or hold.

Pure cassis, blue fruits, new leather, graphite, and hints of bouquet garni define the aromatics of the 2022 Cornas, and it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, an ultra-fine, pure, seamless mouthfeel...

A lovely licorice snap note leads off, followed quickly by crushed raspberry, blackberry and boysenberry fruit flavors. Rich yet restrained, with light shiso leaf, iron and incense details weaving throughout. The...

Gorgeous, with red currant, fig, boysenberry and blackberry paste flavors that run along in unison, while tightly focused graphite, oolong tea and singed anise hints run underneath. Drips with fruit but has energy...

Checking in at 14.83% alcohol, the 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a refined and predominately red-fruited beauty. Licorice and herbaceous components add more dimension. Framed by gentle tannins and more medium- than...

Opaque ruby-red. A highly perfumed and expansive bouquet evokes dark berry and cherry preserves, Indian spices, olive and incense; a smoky mineral nuance emerges as the wine opens up. Fleshy and broad on the palate but...

A firm yet enticing expression with a captivating blend of black cherry, crème de menthe, violets, and black olives. Fresh and vibrant, the palate is silky, with well-integrated tannins and a whisper of clove on the...

Textural intrigue seduces in this muscular and meaty red, with a well of black currant and plum, plus plenty of smoky depth. Chalky in feel, with black pepper and lavender details, including bitter plum pit at the end...

(92+? points) From a parcel of vines planted in 1902—about 95% Grenache, with a few other varieties interplanted—the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Imperiale doesn't appear to measure up to the prodigious efforts in prior...

Deep, glistening violet color. Pungent, mineral-laced dark berry and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of licorice, smoked meat and exotic spices. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering juicy blackberry...

(97+ points) From a great terroir in the northern part of Côte Rôtie, the 2020 Côte Rôtie Vallière is another perfumed, mineral-laced 2020, offering a beautiful nose of darker raspberries, camphor, violets, woodsmoke, and...

Supple and high-toned, with a rush of smoked cherry, lavender and plum paste flavors. Heady and warm, with succulent acidity and savory details of salty mineral and forest floor. Packs serious power and density on the...

Looking better than it did from tank, Cristina's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is ripe and rounded, with ample amounts of black cherries and plums, an exception to the overall red-fruited nature of the vintage. Full-bodied...

A sultry, extroverted style, oozing raspberry coulis and smoked red currant flavors set against cigar box and iron underpinnings. This has a suave texture, with plenty of decadence reined in by the fine tannins and notes...

The 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources is showing wonderfully, opening in the glass with dark cherry and plum aromas, strawberry, leather and a dash of white pepper. Full-bodied, concentrated and framed by...

One of the darker wines of the vintage, its blend of 70% Mourvedre, 20% Grenache and 10% Syrah works well this year. Smoke, flowers, spice, meat, espresso, incense, and dark red fruits in the nose get even better on the...

An extroverted style, with sweet, ripe chocolate-covered cherry and kirsch on a plush, generous frame. Leafy notes add an earthy dimension, while ballasts of iron keep everything firmly anchored. Shows pretty incense...

(97-98 points) In spite of its extreme youth, this great Chateuneuf-du-Pape leaps out at you with its depth of wet-earth, ripe red-berry and dried-flower aromas. Rich and concentrated, but so suave and refined. Incredible...