CDP Barbe-Rac, Maison M. Chapoutier 2012

The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac is brilliant, and checks in near the top of the vintage. Made from 100% Grenache, it gives up loads of kirsch, sweet black cherries, crushed flowers and spice aromatics. Full-bodied, beautifully structured, with building tannin and a seamless, layered feel, it can be enjoyed anytime over the coming 10-12 years. There are only 850 cases, and as always, elegance and balance are the name of the game here.

While the tasting with Michel Chapoutier for his northern Rhônes is a mammoth one, the southern Rhone lineup is a more manageable size. These wine are certainly high quality across the board, and while the Barbe Rac is one of the top wines in 2012, don't miss the value priced wines from this estate; they sell for a song and always deliver value. His northern Rhônes will be covered in Issue 216 and I'll also have his Languedoc and Roussillon releases out early next year.

Deeper and richer, with additional minerality, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac (100% Grenache) is a brilliant looking tank sample. Loaded with mineral-laced black cherry, black currants, spice-box, licorice and crushed flowers, it hits the palate with a full-bodied, structured profile that will benefit from short-term cellaring. It should be one of the longer lived wines in the vintage and have 15 years or more of overall longevity. Drink 2016-2027.