The 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Combe des Fous has the edge over the 2020. The hauntingly fragrant aromatics pull you in with crème de cassis, dark cherry liqueur, raspberry and strawberry compote, licorice, iodine, graphite, incense, forest floor, mint and tobacco. This 2019 makes you smile just by smelling it. Full-bodied and broad-shouldered, it is wrapped in an intricate web of plush tannins and perfectly balanced by lively acidity. This is a majestic La Combe des Fous with absolutely no hard edges.

Plummy and chocolaty yet remarkably vibrant, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous comes across as richer and more powerful than the 2018. I'm not sure that's a good thing in this cuvée, as it's full-bodied, dense and a bit chunky at the moment—certainly enormously impressive, but without the elegance of the previous vintage. It will be interesting to see how it compares once it's in the bottle.