2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Reine Bois

The saturated purple-hued 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée De La Reine Des Bois is another brilliant wine from this estate. Made from 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Syrah and Vaccarèse (as well as a few other varieties) brought up in 80% stainless steel and 20% old barrels, it offers an extraordinary bouquet of blackcurrants, chocolaty herbs, ground pepper, and graphite. Deep, rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it stays pure and flawlessly balanced on the palate, with silky tannins. I love everything about this wine, which reminds me of a slightly plusher example of the 2010. It has some upfront charm today and will continue drinking brilliantly for 15 years or more.

The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reine des Bois was bottled just two weeks before I visited the domaine in June, but despite that, it seemed open, lush and delicious on both occasions I tasted it (once blind a week later). Hints of oak and licorice accent black cherries in this big, plush, velvety-textured wine, which is 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% each Syrah and Vaccarèse. It's silky enough to enjoy young but has the requisite stuffing to age well for more than a decade.