2018 VdF Marie & Francois Rouge

Moving to the reds, the 2018 Vin de France Marie Et François is based on Syrah and Cinsault from sandy soils along the edges of Châteauneuf Du Pape. Brought up mostly in concrete, with one-third in barrels, it has a delicious, medium-bodied style as well as light cherry and strawberry fruits, notes of spice and leafy herbs, and light tannins. It’s a perfect bistro wine to enjoy over the coming year or two. Looking at the vintages reviewed here, the 2017s are the clear step up, with terrific depth and richness as well as considerable elegance. They’re not far off the magical 2016s and will evolve gracefully. The 2018s showed well, and I expect these to put on weight over the course of their elevage, yet they lack the sheer depth and concentration found in both the 2016s and 2017s. They also lend credence to the idea 2018 was more difficult in the southern portion of the appellation. Nevertheless, these are elegant, seamless wines, and this is unquestionably one of my favorite estates in France.