2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Saintes Vierges

The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Saintes Vierges is a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise grown on light, sandy soils. Yet it's full-bodied and intense, almost creamy in texture, perhaps the most powerful of the four 2017s. Raspberries and cherries combine with Mediterranean herbs and hints of cinnamon, allspice, clove and star anise in a wine that shows remarkable balance and elegance despite the richness. It should drink well for at least a decade and a half.

Lurid ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet displays ripe red and blue fruit, Moroccan spice and floral qualities, and a smoky mineral topnote builds with air. Sweet, seamless and expansive on the palate, offering cherry preserve, Chambord, spicecake and cola flavors that show impressive depth and sharp delineation. The red fruit note carries strongly through a strikingly long, gently tannic finish that leaves behind a sexy lavender pastille note.

The 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Saintes Vierges comes from more sandy soils and is a more medium-bodied, elegant effort. Offering plenty of red fruits, dried earth, and spice-laced aromatics, ultra-fine tannins, and a silky, moderately intense mouthfeel, drink it on release and over the following 10-15 years.