2019 Domaine La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Julien Barrot, Southern Rhone

Beautiful nose of black fruit with licorice, spice and a hint of raw meat. So accessible, thanks to the very fine tannins that fill out the generous body exactly. This glides over your palate. So many subtle spicy and meaty nuances at the long, refined finish. Drink or hold.

94 points jamessuckling.com

The classic release from this great estate, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Julien Barrot is 60% Grenache, 19% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah and other permitted varieties. Black cherries, blackberries, graphite, peppery garrigue, and ample chalky minerality define this beauty, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a wonderful mid-palate, building structure, and outstanding length. It's a great 2019 that needs 2-4 years of bottle age to integrate its structure but will have 10-15+ years of prime drinking. Drink 2023 - 2040.

92+ points jebdunnuck.com

Lavender, pastis and warm stone notes liberally infuse a core of steeped cherry and plum paste flavors in this red, with everything knitting steadily through the finish, which features an encore of grippy, mouth-coating fruit. Textbook, gutsy-edged Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2023 through 2035.

94 points James Molesworth winespectator.com