2010 Château Sixtine Châteauneuf-du-Pape

“The 2010 Chateau Sixtine Chateauneuf du Pape performed exquisitely and, again, was one of the top wines of the vintage. With better integration of the new oak than I have previously seen from Jean-Marc Diffonty, this wine's opaque ruby/purple color possesses lots of licorice, asphalt, graphite, blackberry and kirsch notes as well as hints of lavender, forest floor and garrigue. (RP)” (10/2012)

“Showing beautifully from bottle and up there with the best vintage of this cuvee to date, the 2010 Château Sixtine (reviewed last year as the Réserve Sixtine), is a dense, meaty red that offers up decadent crème de cassis, creamy black raspberry, licorice, toasted spice, and mineral qualities on both the nose and palate. Gaining additional meatiness with air, this full-bodied Châteauneuf-du-Pape has a voluptuous, rich texture, beautiful freshness, and a structured tannic finish that will require 3-5 years to round out. While the higher percentage of Syrah shows here, this is very well-done and the purity, balance, and depth are exceptional.” (09/2012)

“A dark, brawny style, with roasted apple wood and dark espresso framing the currant paste, blackberry pâte de fruit, melted black licorice and bittersweet cocoa notes. There's lots of muscle on the finish, but also lovely flickers of violet and pastis for nuance. Needs time to unwind fully. (JM)” (10/2012)