2015 Chateauneuf du Pape

The gem of the collection is the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape. Selected from two lots that used to go into Domaine de la Janasse's bottling, this is redolent of ripe berries and stone fruit, with a lush, silky, nearly weightless feel on the palate. It's a lovely example of the delicate, elegant style of Grenache increasingly being produced from Châteauneuf's sandy soils. Aged in a combination of concrete vats and foudres, it should drink well for 10 years or more.

(aged entirely in foudres ) Lurid ruby. Highly expressive cherry and black raspberry aromas are complicated by floral and Asian spice nuances. Sappy, sweet and expansive on entry, then tighter in the middle, offering juicy, densely packed red and blue fruit flavors that turn sweeter and more lively as the wine opens up. Shows a subtle lavender pastille quality on the persistent, penetrating finish, which is framed by smooth, harmonious tannins.

100% Grenache. Whole bunch. Élevage in a mix of foudre, demi-muid and used barrels. Tasted blind. Bright crimson with a pale rim. Vaguely sweet but not at all intense nose. Just like a liqueur it’s so dense and alcoholic! Not very appetising and the finish then picks up and energises the palate. (JR)