Moving to the three Hermitage releases, the 2020 Hermitage Domaine Des Tourettes offers a deep, saturated purple hue as well as a powerful bouquet of scorched earth, creosote, peppered meat, liquid violets, and both black...

(95-97 points) Not yet bottled, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all very old vine Grenache from the sandy soils of the Cristia lieu-dit. Brought up in demi-muids and a mix of new and used barrels, it gives...

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...

Inky violet color. Heady, smoke- and spice-tinged cherry, blueberry, peony and incense aromas show excellent clarity; mineral and cured meat notes build with aeration. Juicy and energetic, especially in the context of the...

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...

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and in the same league as the perfect 2010. Awesome notes of blackberries, crème de cassis, charred meats, licorice, and violets...

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...

Highly Recommended. Vibrant and captivating, with exuberant fruitcake, cinnamon and black tea aromas leading the way for a fleshy core of raspberry pâte de fruit, plum sauce and cassis, all allied to a lovely velvety...

My favorite release from this estate is consistently their Les Bessards Hermitage, and their 2019 is no exception. Coming from the western part and pure broken granite soils on the west side of this magical hill, it...

(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...

This is beautifully rendered, with a core of focused red currant, plum and raspberry coulis flavors that stretches out nicely while flecks of tobacco, bergamot, and singed sandalwood weave around. A bolt of iron...

(VN 96-98 points) Glass-staining purple. Assertively perfumed cassis, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and floral aromas take on espresso, olive and smoky bacon accents with aeration. Juicy, chewy and energetic on the palate...

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and in the same league as the perfect 2010. Awesome notes of blackberries, crème de cassis, charred meats, licorice, and violets...

(VN 94-96 points) Inky violet. A wild, smoke- and spice-accented bouquet evokes kirsch, cassis, smoked meat, olive and succulent herbs, with mineral and floral notes emerging as the wine opens up. Firm, sharply etched...

Just about perfection in a glass, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve Auguste Favier reveals a deep purple color as well as extraordinary notes of blackcurrants, blackberries, smoked meats, incense, and dried flowers...