2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Renaissance

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Renaissance is also a slightly more restrained, elegant version of the cuvée, yet that doesn’t mean it lacks concentration or depth. Terrific notes of black and blue fruits, violets, peppered meats, and licorice all emerge from this full-bodied, tight, backward beauty that’s going to need 4-5 years of bottle age. As normal, the blend is 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre, brought up in one-third new oak barrels and the balance in demi-muids. Winemaker Baptiste Grangeon has been on a roll over the past decade with these wines from his family estate. These are ripe, powerful wines that never lose their Southern Rhône soul, and if anything, these latest 2016s and 2017s are more reserved and elegant than past vintages.

A blend of 60% Grenache (from 110-year-old vines) and 40% Mourvèdre (from 50-year-old vines), the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Renaissance features hints of cedar and baking spices (a portion of the Mourvèdre was aged in new oak). It's full-bodied, supple and creamy in texture, with a long, cola-tinged and slightly warm finish. It should drink well for at least a decade.