The magnificent 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes continues the string of successes under this label. While a bit less expressive on the nose than the other cuvées, it's impossibly voluminous on the palate. Full-bodied and expansive in the mouth, it's also rich and velvety, with ample tannic structure to support its almost overwhelming generosity. A whirl of mixed raspberries and blackberries join with salted licorice and dark chocolate, culminating in a long finish that combines more-ish salinity with the dusty essence of crushed stone.- JC

This offers up a lushly textured set of crushed plum, boysenberry and blackberry fruit flavors scored with licorice snap throughout and laced with black tea on the finish. A subtle mineral edge peeks through the wall of fruit on the finish. For the cellar. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2023 through 2038. 504 cases imported. — JM

The nose, with its pepper, oak, smoke, earth and dark red fruits is attention seeking. On the palate, the wine is plush, sweet, ripe, fresh and with depth of flavor. Yet it is also elegant, sweet, rich and lusciously textured, ending with loads of fruit in finish, This is one of the wines of the vintage. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/search-wine-tasting-notes/?szSearch=2018+janasse+Chateauneuf

Dark violet. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruits, incense and exotic spices, and a floral accent builds as the wine opens up. Sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering lush black raspberry, boysenberry and spicecake flavors that are energized by a core of juicy acidity. Shows excellent clarity and solid, spicy thrust on a long, sweet finish framed by velvety tannins. -- Josh Raynolds

Showing nicely, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes shows the softer, elegant style of the vintage yet still has ample depth of fruit as well as a classic profile. Notes of red and black fruits, peppery herbs, nori, licorice, and scorched earth all give way to a full-bodied, beautifully balanced 2018. It’s already hard to resist, with silky tannins and no hard edges, and it stays weightless on the palate. It’s not going to be the longest-lived version of this cuvée, but it’s going to put a smile on your face any time over the coming 10-15 years.

Dark and brooding aromatics, star anise and clove. This has a full-bodied, generous and muscular palate. The alcohol is high, but so is everything else – a hefty, structured wine, though not massive, still sunny at its core. It has what it needs to age - pretty classic Châteauneuf in that bold, muscular style. High alcohol though. Fermented in concrete, matured for 12 months in foudre and demi-muid.