2012 Chateauneuf du Pape les Trois Source

Bright ruby-red. Ripe, spice-laced cherry and dark berries on the fragrant nose, with hints of licorice, spicecake and floral oil adding complexity. Supple, expansive black raspberry and cherry-cola flavors become firmer and spicier with air, picking up notes of star anise and smoky minerals. Closes sweet, velvety and long, with resonating spiciness and gentle tannins that fold smoothly into the wine's rich fruit.

While I normally find the Les Hauts Lieux more compelling, in this vintage I prefer the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources. Gorgeously perfumed and voluptuous, with fabulous blackberry, licorice, citron, salty minerality and hints of violet, this beauty flows onto the palate with full-bodied richness, building tannin and terrific length. The texture here is brilliant, and while it will benefit from 2-4 years in the cellar, this puppy is hard to resist now.