2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Clos du Calvaire

The young vine cuvée from this terrific estate is the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Clos Du Calvaire, a blend of mostly Grenache with 15% Syrah and small amounts of Mourvèdre and other permitted varieties. Brought up all in concrete tanks, it offers a classic perfume of sweet red and black fruits, candied flowers, licorice, and peppery garrigue. Plush, medium to full-bodied, seamless, and incredibly silky on the palate, it's just a rocking little fruit bomb that's going to dish out loads of pleasure over the coming decade. Classic, elegant wines emerge from sisters Francoise and Beatrice Mayard and despite plenty of upfront appeal, their wines age beautifully. The winemaking here includes partial destemming and aging mostly in concrete tanks and older foudre.

Raised entirely in concrete, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Clos du Calvaire is a blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 5% Mourvèdre. Full-bodied and silky-textured, it's a red-fruited triumph, boasting oodles of raspberries and gentle spice notes. It's expansive yet structured, delicate yet intense, just a terrific effort.

70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Cinsault, 5% Mourvèdre. Tasted blind. Some compost and earth beneath the red fruit on the nose, with light spiciness on the finish. Full and furry in structure, with moderate length but fairly forthright complexity for a young Châteauneuf. (RH)