2019 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Grand Vin Château de Nalys

Saturated ruby. Expansive, smoke- and mineral-accented black raspberry, cherry cola, cassis, baking spice and succulent herb scents show outstanding detail and lift. Sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering vibrant red/blue fruit liqueur, candied lavender, spicecake and licorice flavors that stain the palate. Powerful yet impressively lively and focused on the extremely long, floral- and spice-driven finish, which is framed by steadily building tannins.

The final blend had been made at the time of my visit to the Guigal cellars in Ampuis, where I tasted the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Vin prior to bottling. Black cherries, blackberries and just a hint of of toasty oak mark the nose, while the full-bodied palate is rich, plush and velvety, finishing long and harmonious despite obvious concentration and power. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes. 2023 - 2035

This lures you in with a well of slightly warmed cassis mixed with raspberry pâte de fruit and mulled bitter cherry. On the back end, waves of menthol, tobacco, cast iron and warm earth mix in with the fruit. Youthfully backward and on the brawny side, this will need some cellaring to resolve fully. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Vaccarèse. Best

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Grand Vin offers more depth, with a darker core of fruit as well as complex notes of peppery garrigue, loamy earth, and incense. The balance here is spot on, it's medium to full-bodied, and has great tannins, all making for a brilliant Châteauneuf du Pape with tons to love. It shows the sunny style of the vintage as well but doesn't lose a beat with regards to elegance and finesse. Give bottles 3-4 years and it should have two decades of overall longevity.