Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Bigger and richer, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Gallimardes is mostly Grenache (there’s 10% Syrah) all from incredibly old vines in the Les Gallimardes lieu-dit located in the southern part of the appellation. This estate owns a tiny parcel here, and this cuvée is incredibly limited, with just 250 cases made. Possessing a huge, incredible nose of blackberries, black raspberries, crushed rocks, garrigue, melted licorice, and cured meats, this full-bodied 2016 has a wealth of fruit and richness, no hard edges, building tannins, and awesome purity of fruit. It’s the finest example of this cuvée ever made and a perfect wine. Don’t miss it!

Wine Advocate (95)

Half of the fabulous 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee les Origines was aged in new barriques, the rest in concrete vats, so there is some oak in play here, but the blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah has absorbed much of it. This full-bodied wine is tannic and rich, with fruit shading from cherries and red plums all the way through to plum and cola. Mocha and baking spices appear on the long, velvety finish.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is up with the crème de la crème of the vintage and in the same league as the perfect 2010. Awesome notes of blackberries, crème de cassis, charred meats, licorice, and violets all soar from the glass. It's powerful, opulent, and structured, with building tannin, a huge mid-palate, and a blockbuster finish, yet it never loses its sense of purity and elegance. It's an incredible achievement from this estate. The blend is 45% Grenache, 45% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah, all aged in 55% new French oak.

Wine Advocate (92-94)

Apparently, there's no Les Celestins in 2013, which was a challenging vintage in the Southern Rhône. That said, the barrel we tasted of the 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Marie Beurrier was a bit light but elegant and silky in texture, with pomegranate-like red fruit and gentle spice.

Wine Advocate (94-97+)

Even better than the Vendange cuvee, and I suspect one of the wines of the vintage, Stephane’s 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Côtes Capelan is the top wine of the estate and is made from 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, raised 70% in concrete and 30% in barrels. There’s under 500 cases of this beauty and it reveals a deep purple color as well as decadent notes of blackberries, blackcurrants, crushed rocks and melted licorice. Full-bodied, thick, unctuous and massively concentrated, with ripe tannin and a killer finish, don’t miss it!

Jeb Dunnuck (95)

Moving to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape from bottle, the 2016 vintage was described as having the power of 2010 and similar to yet fresher than 2007. The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape offers a great bouquet of black raspberries, tapenade, crushed violets, and spring flowers, and shares lots of similarities to the Chaupin cuvée (and it’s less expensive!). Full-bodied, incredibly elegant and seamless, it might be the finest traditional cuvée ever produced from this estate.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Bottled end of February/early in March, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin is incredible stuff, and while I suspect it’s the best vintage to date, it’s going to be great comparing it to bottles of the 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2015 over the coming 15+ years. This beauty offers a thrilling blend of kirsch, blackberries, smoked earth, graphite, and licorice on the nose. It's full-bodied, deep, pure, ultra-fine, and powerful on the palate and flirts with perfection. It’s a tour de force in Grenache that readers need to snatch up!

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Bottled end of February/early in March, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Chaupin is incredible stuff, and while I suspect it’s the best vintage to date, it’s going to be great comparing it to bottles of the 2005, 2007, 2010, and 2015 over the coming 15+ years. This beauty offers a thrilling blend of kirsch, blackberries, smoked earth, graphite, and licorice on the nose. It's full-bodied, deep, pure, ultra-fine, and powerful on the palate and flirts with perfection. It’s a tour de force in Grenache that readers need to snatch up!

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Bottled at the same time, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes gives up more cassis, tapenade, underbrush, cured meats, and earth, and it’s a slightly more dense, backward wine compared to the Chaupin. Full-bodied and beautifully concentrated, with tons of structure, it stays fresh and elegant, has sweet tannins, and a blockbuster finish. It's an incredible, borderline perfect wine from this estate that will keep for two decades or more.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Bottled at the same time, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes gives up more cassis, tapenade, underbrush, cured meats, and earth, and it’s a slightly more dense, backward wine compared to the Chaupin. Full-bodied and beautifully concentrated, with tons of structure, it stays fresh and elegant, has sweet tannins, and a blockbuster finish. It's an incredible, borderline perfect wine from this estate that will keep for two decades or more.

Vinous (94-96)

Deep ruby. Spicy and energetic on the highly perfumed nose, displaying intense black raspberry and cherry scents and strong suggestions of candied lavender and smoky minerals. Supple, sweet and focused on the palate, offering deeply concentrated yet energetic red berry liqueur and cherry compote flavors that tighten up steadily with aeration. Shows excellent lift and clarity on the strikingly long, mineral-accented finish, which features lingering raspberry and floral notes and harmonious tannins. The interplay of power and finesse here is really something.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

A true “wow” wine, the deep, concentrated 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Hauts-Lieux (there's 20% Mourvèdre) offers awesome notes of blackcurrants, smoked meats, graphite, crushed rocks, and licorice. Extraordinarily concentrated, perfectly balanced, structured, and long, it's another sensational wine from this estate. It needs 4-5 years of bottle age and will cruise for 15-20 after that.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources is straight-up sensational and isn’t far off the more expensive Reserve cuvée in style and quality. Huge notes of blackcurrants, black raspberries, crushed violets, licorice, and incredible minerality, as well as a smoking floral quality, all soar from the glass of this full-bodied, seamless, pure wine that readers should snatch up. With good acidity, awesome purity, and a great, great finish, it's an incredible wine any way you look at it. Drink it anytime over the coming two decades or more.

Rarely does a wine exude the excellence of terroir as playfully and profoundly as the Lucien & Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Cailloux 1989. Produced by father-son duo, Lucien and Andre Brunel, whose familial lineage in winemaking dates to the 17th century, this wine comes from Southern Rhône's prestigious Les Cailloux vineyard. This 1989 vintage carries 13% alcohol and boasts of Grenache-led grapes, blended to perfection with Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault.

Meticulous viticulture methods and sustainable cultivation practices enhance the remarkable complexity of this wine. Enjoy the distinct expression of the heavily pebbled, clay-limestone soil that imparts a unique mineral character. This full-bodied red captivates with its multifaceted bouquet, combining mature, dark fruits, earthy undertones and hints of black chocolate, leading to a rich and lasting finish.

Experience the iconic integrity, grandeur and elegance of the Lucien & Andre Brunel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Cailloux 1989, a cornerstone of a true connoisseur's collection.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

I was also able to taste the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Da Capo, which comes mostly from older vines in the La Crau lieu-dit and spends an additional year in a large foudre. The 2016 vintage was truly magical for the region, and this Cuvée Da Capo is unquestionably one of the finest vintages for this cuvée ever made, in the same league as, if not surpassing, the 1998, 2003, 2007, and 2010. Sensational notes of cured meats, crème de cassis, crushed violets, ground pepper, tapenade, truffle, and sweet herbes de Provence all soar from the glass and it hits the palate with a massive, full-bodied style that stays seamless, weightless, and as pure as they come. Traditional, classic Châteauneuf Du Pape doesn’t get better. I hate to be the guy who throws out the “best to date” line very often, but this is truly magical stuff.

Wine Enthusiast (96)

Savory notes of bramble, smoke and leather juxtapose forward plum, cherry and strawberry in this full-bodied wine. It's a penetrating, mouthfilling sip that lingers on the palate, finishing on soft, furry tannins. Approachable already, this concentrated wine should improve through 2025 and hold further.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

Reminding me of a fresher version of the 2003, the 2016 Chateauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Reservée is another magical wine from Laurence Feraud that could come from nowhere else. I still remember tasting (and loving) this beauty from barrel. It doesn’t quite have the sheer over-the-top decadence of the 2003, but it does have more elegance, while not giving up an inch with regard to texture and opulence. Dark ruby/plum-hued with a monster display of Provençal goodness in its garrigue, lavender, violets, kirsch, plums, and Asian spices, this full-throttle, ripe, sexy Châteauneuf du Pape has silky tannins, flawless balance, and a heavenly texture. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and drink well for at least 20-25 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (98)

Reminding me of a fresher version of the 2003, the 2016 Chateauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Reservée is another magical wine from Laurence Feraud that could come from nowhere else. I still remember tasting (and loving) this beauty from barrel. It doesn’t quite have the sheer over-the-top decadence of the 2003, but it does have more elegance, while not giving up an inch with regard to texture and opulence. Dark ruby/plum-hued with a monster display of Provençal goodness in its garrigue, lavender, violets, kirsch, plums, and Asian spices, this full-throttle, ripe, sexy Châteauneuf du Pape has silky tannins, flawless balance, and a heavenly texture. It’s going to benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and drink well for at least 20-25 years.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Getting more than one exclamation in the notes, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée de Mon Aïeul is a deep, rich yet vibrant red that offers a kaleidoscope of kirsch liqueur, garrigue, crushed flowers, Asian spices, and cured meats. It's more opulent and sexier than the 2010, fresher and purer than the 2007, has deep, full-bodied aromas and flavors, and a huge finish. It's a sensational, heavenly Châteauneuf-du-Pape that tops out my scale. This cuvée is 100% Grenache that was not destemmed and was aged in 20% demi-muids and the balance in concrete tanks.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

There's a single barrel of the 2016 Châteauneuf Du Pape Not For You, which is 100% Grenache from the Les Serres lieu-dit from the oldest vines of the estate. It wasn’t destemmed and spent two years in a neutral barrel. It offers an incredible bouquet of kirsch, blackberries, incense, white flowers, garrigue and spice that develops beautifully with time in the glass. Rich, powerful, full-bodied, and concentrated, it nevertheless glides over the palate with no weight, ultra-fine tannins, and a singular, exotic, lengthy style.

Jeb Dunnuck (96-100)

Violets, spring flowers, cassis, plums, and incense notes all define the stunningly good 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Imperiale. Made from 100% Grenache from very old vines, it's full-bodied and powerful, yet also graceful, balanced and pure, with terrific freshness and purity. My money is on this flirting with perfection once bottled.

Wine Advocate (96)

Sourced from the lieux-dits of Les Brusquières and Cabrières, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Prestige is a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre and 5% other varieties. Tasted blind, it's a big, full-bodied, lush wine. Powered by bold cherry and stone fruit, it shows hints of pepper and clove complexity, plus vibrant citrus zest notes on the long, electric finish. Wow.

Jeb Dunnuck (94-96)

The same blend as the 2016, the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Prestige is another inky colored wine from this estate that has an elegant, mineral-laced, balanced profile that’s very much in the style of the 2017 vintage. Blackberries, raspberries, crushed rocks, ground pepper, and violet notes all give way to a full-bodied 2017 that has terrific purity, no hard edges, building tannin, and a great finish. It's going to hit the ground running and cruise in good cellars for two decades. It has slightly more freshness and minerality than the Reserve cuvée.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

There's a purity of fruit to this wine that's remarkable, year after year. The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Prestige showcases cherries and blueberries, backed by subtle power and gentle structure. Full-bodied, creamy and lush yet bright, intense and long on the finish, it's a terrific effort.

Wine Advocate (99+)

On another level, the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Secret du Sabon is insanely good and possibly up there with some of the greatest Chateauneufs ever made. Loaded with notions of black fruits, black licorice, roasted herbs and olive tapenade, it's a thrilling example of Grenache and of Chateauneuf du Pape. Full-bodied, massively concentrated and structured, it's not for those looking for immediate appeal and needs another 4-5 years in the cellar.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

Unquestionably the deepest, richest wine in the lineup, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Secret des Sabon offers sensational notes of blackberries, cassis, crushed rocks, graphite, and bouquet garni. Full-bodied, ultra-fine, seamless, and pure, it has more elegance and purity than the 2010 and is reminiscent of the 2001. It's a gorgeous, extraordinary, layered, seamless Châteauneuf-du-Pape to drink over the coming two decades or more.

Jeb Dunnuck (99)

On another level, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Le Secret Des Sabon is stacked and packed and ranks with the top 2-3 wines in this great vintage. A huge nose of blackcurrants, melted licorice, graphite, garrigue and pepper gives way to an uber-full-bodied, concentrated, massively endowed wine that has an insane level of opulence and decadent, sweet tannins, and a huge finish. This is a tour de force in wine that readers need to taste to believe. Given its wealth of fruit and texture, it’s already approachable, yet a solid 4-5 years of bottle age are warranted, and it's going to keep for 25 years or more. Bravo! As always, this cuvée is a field blend that’s 95% Grenache, with the balance a mix of varieties, mostly from sandy soils, brought up in oak tronconique tanks.

Wine Advocate (94-97)

As usual, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape le Secret de Sabon is nearly all Grenache, from two old-vine parcels. Raspberries, black cherries and chocolate overtones appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, rich and concentrated. Licorice notes mark the long finish, framed by silky-creamy tannins.

Wine Advocate (94-96)

Sabon's 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve should be a stellar wine worthy of cellaring when it's released. The sample I was shown displayed gorgeous red fruit aromas of raspberries and strawberries allied to darker notes of plum and chocolate. This full-bodied, richly concentrated wine is packed and stacked, loaded with ripe tannins that should guarantee a long life.

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

A perfect wine that's up with the top handful of wines in this incredible vintage, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Collection Charles Giraud (60/40 Grenache and Mourvèdre) boasts a sensational nose of currants, cured meats, kirsch, exotic spices, and sandalwood. Deep, full-bodied and powerful, yet with an incredible sense of elegance and purity, it just glides across the palate and, despite its awesome intensity, it never seems heavy or over the top. Give it 2-3 years, and it will keep for two decades or more.