Domaine de la Mordorée : La Reine des Bois Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2023

Black cherries, chocolate, flowers, and spice pop in the nose. On the palate, the wine is rich, round, creamy, fat, and supple, with a smoky edge to the dark black cherries and jammy strawberries in the finish. Give it a year or two for the oak to integrate before pulling a cork. Drink from 2027-2039.

Sourced predominantly from the iconic La Crau plateau, the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Reine des Bois is not far removed from La Dame Voyageuse, offering a ripe, deep and complex bouquet of dark cherries, spices, lavender, dried plums and Provence herbs mingled with exotic spices and chocolate. Full-bodied, dense and concentrated, it’s layered with a rich core of fruit and supple, structuring tannins. This serious, structured wine will reward cellaring over the next 10–15 years. This is a blend of 80% Grenache Noir, 5% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and the rest Vaccarèse.