2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Amiral G

As always, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Amiral G. is all Grenache that comes from a single parcel near the estate. An incredible bouquet of kirsch liqueur, seaweed wrapper, black licorice, and roasted garrigue gives way to a medium to full-bodied, powerful Grenache with a stacked mid-palate, beautiful tannins, and more power and richness than just about every other wine in the vintage. Nevertheless, like all great Grenache, it stays beautifully balanced and weightless on the palate. It’s already complex but promises 15 years or more of prime drinking. Château de Vaudieu is located in the center of the Châteauneuf du Pape appellation, just south of Rayas. The estate is impeccably run by Laurent Bréchet with the winemaking falling to consultant Philippe Cambie. Today they release a number of special cuvées based largely on individual parcels around the domaine. The winemaking can be thought of as quasi-modern, with most of the wines destemmed and brought up in older barrels and demi-muids. New oak is kept to a minimum and the wines always show Provençal, elegant characters. In addition to the brilliant reds, this estate fashions some of the greatest whites in the appellation!

The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Amiral G is a massively ripe yet gentle beast of a wine, with layers of black cherries and dark chocolate swirled together with melted tannins. Full-bodied and supple, it's mouth-fillingly rich and not for fans of gentle introverted offerings. I have my reservations about the ageability of wines that show alcoholic warmth and dried-fruit notes on the finish, but there is no doubting the early-drinking appeal of this voluptuous sexpot.