2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Amiral G

The 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Amiral G. comes from a single parcel and is a huge wine that I suspect will be in the top one to two wines of the vintage. Giving up awesome notes of Provençal garrigue, strawberry jam, kirsch, incense and peppered meats, it has full-bodied richness, a broad, expansive feel on the palate and sweet tannin. I don’t think it has the density and structure of the 2010 (which is a monumental wine!), but this is a tour de force in Grenache that Châteauneuf du Pape lovers shouldn’t miss!

My favorite in the lineup is the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Amiral G., and like all the cuvées here, it has a voluptuous, sexy, yet elegant style. Black raspberries, framboise, spice-box, and floral notes all give way to a full-bodied, powerful, yet incredibly elegant Châteauneuf that has a weightless texture and a blockbuster finish. It's already drinking nicely, yet should cruise for a decade. This is another great lineup from Chateau de Vaudieu, who have risen to the top of the heap recently. They make a perfumed, elegant style of wine, and have started releasing numerous single parcel wine from vines all located around the estate. While the 2016s are a clear step up, the 2015s has terrific purity and elegance.