Tardieu Laurent : Cuvée Spéciale 2022

Dark, brooding and large in scale, with dark fig and macerated plum edged in graphite and grippy tannins. A powerful, densely packed version, offering intriguing notes of warm earth, lavender and spiced fruitcake, plus a cherry liqueur–like character on the rich palate. Muscular in feel, this needs some time to unfurl. Grenache and Mourvèdre. Best from 2026 through 2038. 500 cases made, 75 cases imported.

A solid, well-built and fine-tuned Châteauneuf-du-Pape with layers and focus. It shows notes of sweet cherries, ripe blackcurrants, grilled thyme, baking spices and a touch of porcini mushroom. It’s full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Compact and well framed with a caressing texture to the vivid and solid character. Plenty of drive here, with a dense, peppery and long finish. Try after 2026.

99% Grenache (>100 years old), 1% mystery grape! 100% whole bunches. Bottom of La Crau on sandy soils. Aged 12 months in two- and three-year-old barrels plus 12 months in foudre (Allier, Tronçais). No fining, no filtration. Cask sample. Bright, deep crimson. Not yet as aromatic as the regular cuvée. 100% whole bunches has had an effect. Polished jewel texture and absolutely massive flavour delivery on the palate. Throbs with life. Meaty and sweet. Certainly special! You’d need to eat something pretty full of flavour with this. Game? But the tannins are very well managed. Though there is definitely some heat on the end. Livelier and more energetic than the regular CDP. A bit of a wild card! (JR)

The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvee Speciale is on another level, with a blockbuster perfume of ripe black cherries, melted licorice, jus de viande, lavender, and roasted garrigue. A rich, opulent style of Châteauneuf du Pape, it brings full-bodied richness while staying graceful, weightless, and flawlessly balanced, with ripe tannins and incredible length. This tour de force 2022 should be snatched up by savvy readers and enjoyed over the coming 15 years or so.

Crafted exclusively from Grenache Noir planted on safre soils in the La Crau sector, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Speciale exhales a ripe, spicy bouquet of dark cherries, garrigue, dry thyme and bay leaf. Medium to full-bodied, extracted and concentrated, it's rich and structured with an assertive tannic frame, concluding with a long but dense finish. Matured for 24 months in foudres, this is a rather muscular Châteauneuf-du-Pape, lacking finesse and elegance.