2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Olivets

The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Olivets is a mostly foudre-aged blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% Cinsault. It’s a ripe, forward and textured effort that has plenty of sweet blackberries, cherries, garrigue and olive aromas and flavors. While the overall impression here is of upfront fruit and texture, it’s has good complexity and plenty of depth of fruit. Drink it over the coming 5-7 years.

Opaque purple. Suave, highly perfumed scents of fresh raspberry, smoky minerals, candied flowers and peppery spices. Sappy and mineral-driven, offering intense, well-delineated red fruit preserve and floral pastille flavors. Open-knit and supple in texture, with very good finishing persistence and only a hint of tannins.

Clay-limestone and chalk. 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Cinsault. Stewed and sweet. Chewy, awkward tannins. Too much candy and a lack of freshness. (JR)