Domaine de Ferrand Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2018

“Brilliant ruby. Ripe red and blue fruits, candied flowers and garrigue on the highly expressive, spice-accented nose. Appealingly sweet and fleshy on the palate, offering juicy Chambord, boysenberry and spicecake flavors that firm up slowly through the back half. Finishes with strong, gently tannic persistence, leaving sappy red fruit and succulent herb notes behind. Drink: 2024-2034. 93 points

This is one of the few domaines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to produce a single red bottling, although it does make some excellent wines from Côtes-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Rhône Villages holdings. Of the estate’s 17 hectares of vines, only 7.5 hectares are located in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Quantities are obviously small, and demand is high thanks to its consistently high quality. All of the fruit is de-stemmed and the wine is mostly raised in concrete vats, with some stainless steel tanks coming into play as well. Both the 2018 and 2017 here are outstanding, showing abundant, forward fruit but displaying the requisite balance and structure to reward patience.”

Josh Raynolds, Vinous (10/21)