Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Domaine Charvin 2016

Not yet bottled, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape from Laurent Charvin is a beauty, and I’d wager one of the finest to date. In addition, it has a vibrant, mineral-laced personality that I’m sure is loved by Laurent. As classic as it gets, with a rocking bouquet of black, black fruits, garrigue, crushed rocks, and pepper, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, remarkable concentration, yet also the freshness and purity that’s the hallmark of Laurent’s wines. I followed this bottle for two days, and it shut down with extended aeration, so I’d recommend trying a bottle on release and then hiding the rest for a good 4-5 years. The blend is the classic 82% Grenache, 5% each of Mourvèdre and Syrah, and the balance Vaccarèse and Counoise, fermented with 100% whole clusters and aged all in concrete tanks. Don’t miss this beauty.

Based on a prospective blend tasted blind, Charvin's 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape looks promising. A blend of 82% Grenache, 5% each Mourvèdre and Syrah and 4% each Counoise and Vaccarèse, it offers lovely aromas of roses, tea leaves and raspberries that lead into a full-bodied wine. It's creamy on the mid-palate, then shows some stemmy notes and increased astringency on the long, minty finish. If it comes together after bottling the way the 2015 did, it should perform at or above the high end of my score range.