2019 Chateauneuf du Pape

The classic cuvée from this brilliant estate, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape is based on 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre that was raised mostly in concrete tanks, with the balance in old barrels. Lots of ripe black cherries, new leather, Provençal herbs, licorice, and loamy earth define the bouquet, and this beautiful wine is medium to full-bodied, with silky, ripe tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. It's a brilliant wine to buy a case of and enjoy over the coming 10-15 years. One of my favorite estates in the world (and I put my money where my mouth is), Domaine Giraud has been impeccably run since 2001 by Marie Giraud, with consulting advice from Philippe Cambie. The style here is a mix of traditional and progressive winemaking, with the Grenache almost always brought up in tank and the Syrah in barrel. The Les Gallimardes cuvée comes from a tiny parcel of very old vines in the southern part of the appellation, and it’s always a more classic, Provençal, sexy wine. The Les Grenaches de Pierre comes from more sandy soils, and it’s always slightly more refined and elegant, yet it rarely, if ever, lacks for richness and depth. In addition to the terrific reds, the whites from this address are consistently outstanding.

Vivid ruby. Spice-accented black raspberry and cherry aromas are complemented by suggestions of garrigue and succulent flowers. Supple and seamless in texture, offering appealingly sweet and well-concentrated red berry, cherry liqueur and lavender pastille flavors sharpened by a spicy jolt of white pepper. Finishes on a repeating floral note, showing excellent clarity and polished tannins. Giraud's entry-level bottling has been going from strength to strength in recent vintages.