2013 Chateauneuf du Pape les Trois Source

Brilliant ruby-red. Potent red berry liqueur, potpourri and smoky Indian spice scents on the highly perfumed nose, lifted by a mineral flourish. Sweet, concentrated and seamless on the palate, offering intense raspberry, cherry cola and lavender flavors that deepen and gain power with air. The penetrating, youthfully tannic finish shows outstanding clarity and thrust and leaves behind a juicy red berry note.

I think a success in the vintage, the 2013 Châteauneuf du Pape les Trois Source comes from the same terroir as the Reserve cuvee and is 60% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, 15% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. It reveals pretty black and blue fruits, leafy herbs, violets and some Pinot Noir-like forest floor characteristic, as well as medium-bodied depth and an elegant, silky texture. It's not a blockbuster, but it's nicely balanced and has sound underlying structure, all suggesting it will have 10-12 years of longevity.

Bright ruby. High-pitched, mineral-inflected red fruit and floral aromas are complicated by suggestions of allspice and licorice. Juicy and precise, conveying a clean, nervy quality to its raspberry and bitter cherry flavors. Acts like a brawny pinot noir, with smooth tannins building slowly through a long, spicy finish.