2021 Domaine Olivier Hillaire Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Starting with the 2021s from barrel, lots of darker berries, ground pepper, garrigue, and some crushed stone-like notes emerge from the 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape, a richer, textured, impressive 2021 that brings beautiful depth of fruit and more texture and richness than most. I continue to love the wines of Olivier Hillaire. These are always ripe, seamless, sexy wines that are just about overflowing with Provençal character.

90% Grenache, 10% Syrah. Fermented in concrete tanks and matured for 12 months in old barriques. Cask sample. Tasted blind. Red fruits – spice and leather. A rich, figgy palate with strawberry and pepper. The tannins are firm and chewy at the moment. Quite tough. (AC)