2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Special Vieilles Vignes

From a single plot of centenarian vines in the sands in the lower sector of La Crau. 99% Grenache. Aged for 12 months in two- and three-year-old barrels and then 12 months in foudre. 100% whole bunch. Cask sample. Fairly pale crimson. Very subtle and refreshing nose with a strong salty element and some sturdy rose-petal aromas. Much more delicate, sweet and beguiling than this producer's other two cuvées of red Châteauneuf. This is the Tardieu wine closest to the most alluring and lively modern Grenaches/Garnachas. Hint of Rayas? (JR)

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Spéciale is similarly deep purple hued and has a ripe, sexy style that's very much in the vintage. Loads of black raspberries, Asian spices, candied flowers, and peppery garrigue give way to a full-bodied, concentrated, powerful wine with terrific balance, plenty of ripe and polished tannins, and a great finish. It's a ripe, opulent wine that stays graceful and beautifully balanced. My money is on it benefiting from 4-5 years of bottle age, and it should have two decades of longevity.