2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure

Brought up all in stainless steel because there wasn’t enough fruit to fill the foudre, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Pure isn't going to make you forget the incredible 2016, yet it's nevertheless a terrific example of old vine Grenache. It has a classic bouquet of sweet kirsch and blackberry fruit as well as rocking notes of garrigue, white pepper, graphite, and dried flowers. Rich, medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and with fine tannins, it's a finesse-oriented, Burgundian expression of this cuvée that's going to benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years. The 2017s from this terrific estate are slightly less impressive than I’d hope after tasting them from barrel last year. The wines are certainly pure and elegant, with a distinct Burgundian vibe (which is even more apparent in the 2018s) yet don’t come close to matching prior vintages in depth and richness. Nevertheless, these wines have a habit of putting on weight in bottle so here’s hoping for the best. It’s also worth pointing out that the Signature Cuvée is now being releases under the name Cuvée Julien Barrot.

The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure is remarkably balanced, fresh and, yes, pure. The layers of raspberry fruit are blemish-free, so intense and concentrated that in other hands they might come across as jammy, but here, they're fresh and vibrant, backed by a full-bodied palate that's silky and airy in feel while possessing terrific intensity and depth. It should drink well for 15+ years.