2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure

Always showing well (which is a trait of the vintage), the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure is about as sexy as wine gets. Just layered with notions of sweet kirsch liqueur, raspberries, ground pepper, herbes de Provence and licorice, it's a wine I could see rating a few points higher if it wasn't in a retrospective lineup like this. Silky, seamless, full-bodied and perfectly balanced, with fine tannin and a blockbuster finish, drink it anytime over the coming 15 years. Sep 2015, www.robertparker.com