2016 Clos St. Antonin Chateauneuf du Pape

The finest wine to date from this young estate (although it’s made by unquestionably one of the finest winemakers out there), the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is 100% Grenache sourced all from the sandy parts of the La Crau and Font du Loup lieux-dits. It got more than a few “Wows” in the notes and boasts a medium ruby color, heavenly notes of framboise, crushed flowers, and spice, full body, ultra-fine tannins, and an insane mix of power and elegance that’s hard to describe. It’s going to knock your socks off over the coming 15+ years. This up and coming superstar of an estate was created by Isabelle and Christophe Sabon (of Domaine de Janasse) in 2015. The estate is located in the Plan de Dieu, northeast of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, yet they have access to some prime terroirs in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the La Crau and Font du Loup lieux-dits. These are legit, awesome wines, and savvy readers need to get on board!

All Grenache grown on sandy sites, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape is the poster child for the current trend toward elegant, almost weightless wines from that unique combination of variety and terroir. Raspberry and strawberry aromas and flavors pick up complex notes of garrigue as they glide easily across the full-bodied palate and into a long, silky-ethereal finish. It's a paradox that illustrates the specialness of Grenache in certain situations and which must be tasted to be understood.

Vivid ruby-red. Deep-pitched aromas of ripe red fruits, incense and exotic spices are lifted and sharpened by a smoky mineral element. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering concentrated bitter cherry and raspberry flavors that flesh out and become sweeter as the wine opens up. Smooth, harmonious tannins give frame and grip to an extremely long, spice-accented finish that emphatically echoes the red fruit note.