Domaine de La Vieille Julienne : Réservé 2019

Gorgeous palate expression, wonderfully fine tannins. The alcohol is high this year, you do feel it, there is a lovely freshness however, and very good length. Not a perfect wine, but a beautiful one. Selection from Les Trois Sources, their oldest Grenache. Around 90% Grenache, plus Syrah and Cinsault. Only produced when the Grenache is balanced enough.

Cask sample, tasted at the domaine. Very sweet, fragrant fruit, mocha and violet-tinged with leather and crushed blackcurrant, also with red fruits underneath and a mineral graphite note on the nose. Sweet fruit on the palate, really ripe and succulent tannins. Wonderful depth with an unctuous mouthfeel – excellent freshness and a long finish. (AC)

From old vines planted as early as 1904, the 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Réserve is one of the wines of the vintage. Coming in at 16% alcohol, it consists of 90% Grenache with the rest split between Syrah and Counoise. It soars from the glass with mesmerizing aromas of blackberry, blueberry, crème de cassis, wild strawberry, white pepper, forest floor as well as abundant herbs and spices such as bay leaves, thyme, lavender and cardamom. Expanding vertically in the mouth, it is full-bodied, layered and framed by ever-so-velvety tannins. The long-lasting finish is exceptional - new flavors develop long after the wine has left the palate. Only 2,900 bottles produced.

Combining elegance, power, purity, and complexity, this hits all the right notes from start to finish. The nose displays a floral bouquet along with kirsch, black raspberries, and red plums topped off with thyme, peppery spice, garrigue, and wet earth. The mid-palate is packed with fruit and the finish starts off strong and builds in intensity with its layers of ripe, vibrant, peppery fruits and its gorgeous sense of purity. You should lay this down for 6-7 years before pulling a cork as it is one of those wines that gains complexity in the bottle. The wine is usually made from 90% Grenache, 5% Syrah, and 5% Counoise. If this seems like your thing, grab a few bottles as it becomes close to impossible to find as it matures. Drink from 2026 - 2040

Dark ruby, purple reflections, faint ochre brightening on the rim. Nougat, currants, fresh figs, wild dark berries, candied orange zest, multi-faceted bouquet. Substantial, very complex, concentrated, sweet texture, ripe plums and figs, chocolaty tannins, mineral and minty, long lasting on the palate, simply world class.

Lastly, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Reserve is another magical wine, and I might have rated this cuvée a perfect score more than any other Southern Rhône. Unquestionably in the same realm as the 2017, 2016, 2010, 2005, 2003, and 2001, it has an incredible, full-bodied, massive style that somehow stays perfectly balanced, with flawless integration of its fruit, tannins, acidity, and alcohol. Lots of red, blue, and black fruits, loamy earth, Asian spice, licorice, and violet nuances emerge from the glass, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, building yet polished tannins, and a great, great finish. It’s a sexier, more opulent wine than the Les Hauts-Lieux release yet has the same perfect tannins that are so rare to find in the vintage. This required at least 4-5 years of bottle age and will drink brilliantly for 20-25+ years.