Even better than the traditional cuvee, the 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee des Generations is unquestionably one of the stars of the vintage. Made from equal parts Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre that was brought up all in new barrels, it dishes out gorgeous notes of black raspberry, violets, cured meats, licorice and serious minerality to go with medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. There’s uncommon concentration here, and as with the traditional cuvee, the tannin is beautifully polished and ripe. Despite the modern élevage, you wouldn’t know it by tasting this beauty. It should benefit from short-term cellaring and have 12-15 years or more of longevity.

Covering a massive 120 acres, mostly in the western portion of the appellation, Chateau de La Gardine makes age-worthy, concentrated and relatively modern styled Châteauneuf du Papes that still retain fantastic Provençal typicity. They normally release four Chateauneufs; a traditional blend based largely on Grenache; a Cuvee des Generations Gaston Philippe which comes from 100-year-old vines and see more new barrels in its elevage; a Cuvee Peur Bleue, which was first made in 2004 and see no SO2; and the smallest production effort, the Cuvee l’Immortelle, which is a cellar selection of a third each of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre. Both these 2012s and 2013 are brilliant. ~93-95 Robert Parker Drink 2017-2028