2015 Chateauneuf du Pape

Aged for two years in oak foudres. 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% others. Meaty, peppery, dark chocolate and juicy red fruit – a deliciously fragrant example which reveals Guigal's northern roots, with a sense of delicacy and lift too often missing from Châteauneuf. (RH)

In a completely different style, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is more Grenache-dominated and has a great nose of garrigue, pepper, and sweet red and black fruits. Nicely balanced, complex, and medium to full-bodied, is shows the straighter, classic style of the vintage and will drink nicely for another 10-15 years. The big news at the Guigal estate is the purchase of Domaine de Nalys in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The family has always wanted an estate in the South, and Nalys is an unrealized treasure trove of awesome terroir and old vines, both of which I’ve no doubt will be maximized by this talented family. In addition, the former winemaker at Paul Jaboulet Aîné, Jacques Desvernois, has joined the team, and while it’s not clear exactly what his role will be, I suspect he will largely lead the charge at Domaine de Nalys. Either way, Desvernois is an incredible talent and can only add to what is already a well-oiled machine. As to the wines reviewed in this report, I was able to taste multiple vintages of each of the cuvées and have listed the wines by cuvée as opposed to by vintage, which is how we tasted through the wines.

Consumers who want a bit more oomph than the 2014 offers will want to seek out Guigal's 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape, which is a ripe, full-bodied example of the appellation. Bottled just a week before I tasted it, it was somewhat closed on the nose but is wonderfully velvety and rich, with plenty of dark fruit flavors, accented by dried spices on the long finish.