2016 Chateauneuf du Pape

Finesse styled, concentrated, fresh and polished with an elegant lean to the sweet, ripe fruits, there is lift, character and complexity. The wine was blended from 75% Grenache, 12% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 1% Vaccarese and 1% Counoise and 1% Cinsault.

A true gem of a wine, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape checks in as 75% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and the balance a mix of permitted varieties. This classic cuvée comes from a multitude of sites throughout the appellation and is partially destemmed and brought up in concrete tanks and demi-muids. Terrific notes of peppery garrigue, new leather, and sweet red and black fruits all give way to a silky, seamless, full-bodied Châteauneuf-du-Pape that has no hard edges and a great finish. The classic cuvées are so good in 2016, it makes you wonder if the more expensive special cuvées are worth it. The gregarious Nicolas Boiron continues to produce an incredible lineup of wines that span the gamut from staunchly traditional in style, with plenty of stems and mostly concrete tanks aging, to close to 100% Grenache cuvées that are destemmed and aged in small amounts of new oak. Regardless, the wines today are impeccably made and show classic Southern Rhône characters. It’s worth noting that while the wines have always been solid, the quality soared around the 2010 vintage and today this estate unquestionably produces some of the top wines in the appellation.

A terrific example of this bottling, the 2016 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Tradition is a blend of 75% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and tiny amounts of Cinsault, Counoise and Vaccarèse. About 40% was destemmed in this textbook vintage, the fruit coming from 40 different parcels around the appellation. Floral and raspberry notes emerge on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied but silky textured, ending on subtle shadings of Provence herbs and licorice. It's a relative bargain that's easy to drink now, but it should easily go a decade or more in a cool cellar.