2016 Alain Jaume Lirac Domaine du Clos de Sixte

Year in, year out, the Clos de Sixte Lirac is a superstar wine, and the 2016 Lirac Clos De Sixte doesn’t break the trend. Made from 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and the rest Mourvèdre, brought up in 30% oak, this beauty boasts loads of dark fruits, peppery herbs, graphite, and crushed rock. Medium to full-bodied, rich, and powerful, it stays polished and elegant on the palate, with the beautiful 2016 purity of fruit front and center. Drink it any time over the coming 7-8 years.

50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre. Juicy and generous on the palate, with oodles of ripe red fruit and crisp, refreshing structure that counters the high alcohol very effectively. Not much complexity on the length, but the purity of fruit makes up for that. (RH)

The 2016 Lirac Domaine du Clos de Sixte is a terrific wine, easily the rival to many Châteauneufs from across the river, starting with its alluring aromas of flowering garrigue and ripe cherries. A blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre, this full-bodied wine is lush and concentrated on the palate, then turns velvety on the long finish. I'd treat it like a Châteauneuf du Pape in terms of cellaring: hold it for a few years, then drink it over the next 15.