Juicy and spicy with lots of raspberry ganache and blueberry notes offset by hints of mulled spices black tea and fig cake. Really picks up steam on the finish with a racy mouthwatering minerality. Should age beautifully. Drink now through 2025. 4250 cases made. –JM

Vieux Donjon has produced a classic Châteauneuf du Pape in 2005, and it has the focused, structured feel of the vintage, yet avoids the harsh tannin that’s found in a lot of cuvees. Exhibiting impressive notes of peppered meats, tapenade, sweet spice, iron and garrigue, with a core of sweet Grenache fruit, this beauty is medium to full-bodied, concentrated and textured on the palate, with superb overall balance. It’s enjoyable today, but will continue to evolve nicely for another decade or longer. - Jeb Dunnuck