2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes

Opaque ruby. Powerful, mineral-accented blackberry and cherry aromas are complemented by incense, licorice and potpourri flourishes. Supple, sweet and impressively concentrated, offering palate-staining red and dark berry, cherry liqueur, fruitcake and lavender pastille flavors braced by a core of juicy acidity. Plush yet surprisingly lithe for its brawn, showing a suave floral note and outstanding clarity and velvety tannins on the strikingly long, smoke- and spice-tinged finish.

Deeply colored, this is incredibly concentrated. The wine is fleshy, silky and palate staining. The fruit coats your palate, but it's never heavy, or overblown. Instead, everything is in balance. The richly textured wine has polish, length and purity, along with a sexy style and a finish that you cannot stop tasting, staying with you for over 50 seconds! The wine is a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5%Mourvedre.

Time will tell if this wine equals the stellar 2015; it's certainly very close in quality. The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes is a blend of approximately 75% Grenache, 12% Mourvèdre, 8% Syrah and the rest other permitted varieties. Tarry and deep on the nose, it delivers waves of blackberries and black cherries on the palate, framing those flavors with plenty of richness, layers of silky tannins and a long, elegant finish.