Blueberry, blackberry, a violet perfume, licorice, dried herb and a dash of pepper. It’s tight and so ‘mineral’, like drinking liquid stone, which sounds ludicrous, but is emphatically a very good thing. Tight, some dark chocolate, fine acidity, so much ripe sticky tannin, and a long stony finish of fabulous length. What a thing this is! Beautiful.
96 points Gary Walsh winefront.com Drink: 2022 – 2033
The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux comes from slightly higher elevation sites and includes more Mourvèdre than the Les Trois Source release. It’s pure, full-bodied, and incredibly structured, with a tight, backward style that’s going to benefit from bottle age. Showing a distinct salty minerality as well as loads of black and blue fruits, it reminds me of the 2015 yet with more elegance. Hide bottles for 4-5 years and enjoy over the following two decades