2023 Famille Isabel Ferrando "Colombis" Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Kirsch, Provençal herbs, and floral nuances all emerge from the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Colombis, a sappy, peppery effort that's incredibly perfumed and shows the refined, classy, flawlessly balanced style of this estate today. It's medium to full-bodied, with ultra-fine tannins, no hard edges, and a juicy finish that makes you salivate. This beauty is absolutely impossible to resist today, yet I see no reason it shouldn't evolve beautifully for 15 years if well stored. Drink 2025-2040.

Made from 100% Grenache, this wine beautifully reflects the diversity of the soils from which it is sourced: the cooler-climate home vineyard of Colombis on the western side of the appellation, the cooling sandy soils of Rayas, and, of course, La Crau, whose deep limestone sub-soil and heat-reflective galets contribute richness and depth. All of the fruit is composed from the oldest vines in these parcels as well. "Colombis" is one of the most compelling Grenache-based wines in the region, it puts the purity of the grape fully on display, balancing richness with a seamless structure and a lifted, floral finish. In many ways, it recalls a great Bonnes-Mares from Burgundy — though thankfully at a fraction of the price. Exceptionally ageworthy, this should begin hitting its stride in the 2030s and continue to drink beautifully for another decade or more beyond that.