2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Tres Vieilles Vignes

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Prestige Très Vielles Vignes is similarly colored and offers a blast of black pepper to go with tons of plum and blackberry fruits, notes of garrigue and cedarwood, full-bodied richness, and building tannin. This classic, old-school beauty is packed with potential. The blend is 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre (this cuvée comes from the Les Bédines, La Crau, La Guigasse, and Les Saintes Vierges lieux-dits) and it will see a full 36 months in tank before being bottled.

Full-bodied, tannic and chewy, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Prestige Tres Vieilles Vignes is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre, from 80- to 100-year-old vines. Grown on sandy sites, like Les Bedines, La Crau Ouest, La Guigasse and Les Saintes Vierges, this wine shows plenty of power but not much elegance. Plummy flavors are joined by notes of pepper, anise and roasted meat. Perplexing.