2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Clos des Papes

Lovely dried herb aroma, like rosemary and black cherry. Leather and blackcurrant and spice on the palate with chalk-dust tannin that is very charming. There might be plenty more aromatic development to come, but the quality of fruit and poise of structure makes this very tempting to drink now. Long, leathery persistence. (RH)

Bottled May 2017. Redcurrant, black pepper, fine tannin and subtle spice. Delicate and balanced and quite restrained overall – yet there is a long, deep, persistent finish that has plenty of potential. Resonant and graceful. (RH)

Tasted on three separate occasions, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Paul-Vincent is a classic, elegant, and incredibly complex style of wine reminiscent of a Grand Cru Red Burgundy (Chambolle-Musigny?). Black raspberries, blueberries, incense, pine resin, dried orange and exotic floral notes give way to a medium to full-bodied, ethereally textured 2015 that has moderate tannin, beautiful purity, and a seamless finish. I compared this to an improved 2005 last year when I tasted it from barrel, but I’m not sure that comparison holds today, and I struggle to come up with another similar vintage. Nevertheless, this is a beautiful wine that should be at its best from 2020-2030+.