(95-97 points) Not yet bottled, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes is all very old vine Grenache from the sandy soils of the Cristia lieu-dit. Brought up in demi-muids and a mix of new and used barrels, it gives up a rocking bouquet of blackberries, ripe cherries, licorice, toasted spices, and violets. It's gorgeous on the palate as well and is medium to full-bodied, with a seamless, elegant texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's rock star stuff that I'd buy in a second.

Concentrated but not weighty, this has an ethereal quality to its attractive licorice, cherry pie and fragrant incense notes, shored up with chalky tannins and a dusting of graphite that offsets the warmth. Beautifully textured, with bitter plum and mineral notes alternating with holiday spices and apple wood smoke stretching out across the finish. Drink now through 2040. — K.B.

The intense clove aroma is at the outer edge of typicity for this appellation. However, this Chateauneuf is simultaneously savory, dry and surprisingly elegant through the long balsamic and spicy finish. A pure grenache. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold. - Stuart Pigott, Senior Editor

Entirely made from old vine Grenache, the 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes turned out well. It delivers pungent aromas of raspberry jam, strawberry compote, red and black plum, dried herbs, licorice, cloves, wood smoke and vanilla. The oak-derived aromas and flavors are very much up-front and will require some time to integrate. It’s impossible to ignore the underlying high quality, however, confirmed by ever-so-velvety tannins and refreshing acidity. -- Nicolas Greinacher