The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes is another killer effort from this estate. Coming from the La Janasse and La Crau lieux-dits and brought up in foudre, its deep purple color is followed by blockbuster notes of crème de cassis, blackberries, chocolate, graphite, and earthy, rocky, mineral-like nuances. It's deep and full-bodied, with a ripe, powerful yet balanced style and a great finish. A classic example of this cuvée. it's going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for two decades or more.

The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes looks as if it will be a worthy successor to the awesome 2015 and 2016 bottlings. From tank, the Grenache shows lovely cherry-berry fruit, ample weight and richness and a long, silky finish, while the Mourvèdre from a new oak barrel stood up to the wood well, offering more red fruits, less alcohol and hints of toast and baking spices.

Fermented in concrete and matured for 12 months in foudre and demi-muid, this wine has an inky colour with gentle notes of clove and nutmeg oak over mulled damson fruit. It's not as full or heavy as expected, but is still powerful and quite extracted. The fine tannins are generous and grippy. Remarkably well balanced for its size.

Dark violet. Expansive dark berry liqueur, cherry pie, licorice candy and potpourri aromas are complemented by an exotic flourish of Moroccan spices. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering deeply concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors, along with sweetening cola and floral pastille nuances. Slowly firms up with air and finishes with outstanding clarity, suave, even tannins and excellent, floral-driven persistence.

There’s less grenache here in 2017 (60%); the balance is made up of syrah and mourvedre, all from 80 to 100 years of age. The richness and depth here is really impressive, as is the freshness of ripe berries and a dark and quite dense, plum and black-cherry burst at the finish. The palate has a very supple, succulent and juicy feel. Some firmness to the tannins and good drive with a silky edge. Try from 2024.

Tasted blind. Deep purple colour, black fruit and oak spice in equal measure on the nose. Sweet fruit on the palate, and gentle chew to finish with a bit of dark chocolate flavour adding complexity on the length. (RH)