2023 M. Chapoutier Châteauneuf-du-Pape la Bernardine

Kirsch, black cherries, spicy garrigue, and sappy flower-like aromatics all shine in the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Bernardine, based on 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre. I love its vibrancy, purity, and complexity. Medium to full-bodied, ripe, and seamless on the palate, it pushes on the ripeness scale yet holds it together with velvety tannins, ample mid-palate depth, and outstanding length. Drink bottles over the coming 8-10 years. Drink 2025-2034. Chapoutier continues to produce a wide range of wines across the Southern Rhône, from value-driven Côtes du Rhône and Lubéron bottlings to serious single-vineyard Châteauneuf-du-Papes. While they produce solid (and even outstanding) wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and Rasteau, the Châteauneuf-du-Pape lineup is where things truly shine. The range includes the classic La Bernardine (80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre), the 100% Syrah Serus (which unsurprisingly has a very Northern Rhône-like character), and three serious single-parcel wines: Pie Vi (95% Grenache, 5% Syrah), Barbe Rac (100% Grenache from the western side of the appellation), and Croix de Bois (100% Grenache from the eastern side). The newest addition is La Grenade, a 100% Grenache from a tiny parcel just outside the village that's fermented with 30% stems and shows an incredibly complex, Rayas-like elegance, and I don’t make that comparison lightly. The 2023 La Grenade is one of the few true "wow" wines in the vintage, and the 2024 looks equally impressive. These top Châteauneuf-du-Papes are world-class.