Domaine de Beaurenard Châteauneuf du Pape 2017

The classic cuvée in bottle, the 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape is 66% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and the rest a mix of permitted varieties. This cuvée is brought up in a mix of stainless steel, wooded tanks, foudre, and barrels, with just 5% new oak. Deep ruby purple-colored, with beautiful black cherry and blackberry fruits, it has loads of licorice and garrigue aromas, medium to full body, beautiful concentration, and considerable elegance and purity. I always find a Burgundian style in the wines from this estate and this is no exception. It's a more reserved, tight 2017 that's going to benefit from 4-5 years of bottle age and keep for 15-20 years. It's a beautiful, classic cuvée that has power and elegance.

Deep bright-rimmed ruby. Deeply perfumed, smoke-accented aromas of cherry liqueur, boysenberry and garrigue are complicated by potpourri and allspice flourishes. Juicy and appealingly sweet, offering concentrated red and blue fruit and spicecake flavors and a touch of candied flowers. Supple tannins build slowly on a long, focused finish that leaves floral and spice notes behind.

Fresh and racy in feel, with a focused beam of red currant and raspberry coulis flavors entwined with red licorice details. The finish picks up extra shiso leaf, garrigue and iron notes. Solid. Best from 2020 through 2035.