Wow!' was my reaction. Simply gorgeous aromatics, pulling in garrigue herbs, blood orange, redcurrant, liquorice and pine resin. Light in tannin, but a lovely sense of freshness, good acidity and a lovely detailed finish. Tannins are fine and slight. A compelling, Burgundian Grenache. This is pure whole-bunch Grenache grown on sand at the lieu-dit La Guigasse, aged for 24 months in demi-muid. (MW)

The parcel of la Guigasse has even older grenache vines than those that go into the Le Grand Pin bottling at Chapelle Saint Theodoric, with these vines ranging from age fifty-three to more than one hundred years-old! The wine is raised in entirely the same manner as the Le Grand Pin bottling, with one hundred percent whole clusters, native yeasts and aging in neutral, large oak casks. The wine also tips the scales at 14.5 percent octane in 2021 and offers up a deep and slightly more black fruity bouquet than what is found in the 2021 Le Grand Pin, as the aromatic constellation here is composed of red and black raspberries, fruitcake, hung game, pepper, garrigue, bonfire, sweet stem tones, a superb base of soil and a touch of balsam bough in the upper register. On the palate the wine is full-bodied, tangy and complex, with a rock solid core of old vine fruit, superb soil signature and grip, firm, buried tannins, excellent focus and balance and a very, very long, classic finish. This is going to be brilliant Châteauneuf du Pape once it is ready to drink!

A pretty, lifted style, with an inviting burst of cherry, lavender and grilled sandalwood notes on a bed of firming graphite and earth flavors, plus hints of mesquite ash and warm spices in the backdrop. Offering a somewhat lithe frame, this starts off juicy in feel, while a spine of graphite and firming tannins give direction, with a tug of earth and chewy tar at the close. (KB)