One of the wines of the vintage is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape from Philippe Bravey, and I’ve drunk more than a case of this wine and have consistently rated it at the upper end of the spectrum (however, some bottles suffer from too much volatile acidity). Big, full-bodied, layered and unctuous, it has a huge nose of garrigue, black fruits, saddle leather and licorice. I absolutely love this wine and would happily drink bottles over the coming decade. - Jeb Dunnuck

This is seriously dark, with bittersweet chocolate, braised beef, fig, tar and ground espresso notes leading the charge, while dark plum and currant fruit wait in the background. Cuts a broad swath on the muscular finish. Very backward, with a ways to go, this has harnessed more grip than most in this vintage. Best from 2010 through 2030. – JM