A 60-40 blend of Grenache and Syrah bottled only in the best vintages, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve Secrete artfully marries notes of mint, cracked pepper and ripe plums. It's full-bodied and silky textured, with a long, mouthwatering finish. Despite ample use of new oak, it barely registers, leaving a wine that's fruit-driven, juicy and intense.

Still in foudre, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve Secrete—a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah—features dark, earthy aromas and hints of smoked meat. It's full-bodied, plush and velvety on the palate, ending on a silky note. It should prove to be the best of the four 2017s from Domaine de la Solitude.

The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve Secrete features hints of cedar, vanilla and mocha layered over cola, plums and red berries. Full-bodied, plush and creamy textured, it's an unabashedly modern wine that can be drunk on release and over the next two decades. It's one of the best Domaine de la Solitude wines I can recall tasting.

The top wine at Solitude is the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve Secrete, a 50-50 blend of Grenache and Syrah, 60% of which was matured in new oak. Virtually none of the oak is apparent on the nose, which features peppery-herbal and bright cherry notes. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, creamy and lush, with ripe cherries and berries that glide to a long, silky finish that turns slightly chocolaty at the very end. While approachable now, this wine should be able to go a couple of decades,

A blend of roughly 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah that was brought up in 60% new barrels, the sensational 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape la Reserve Secrete is a big, concentrated bruiser whose inky purple color is followed by tons of jammy blackberries, hints of cassis, spice and violets aromas and flavors. Its oak elevage has been completely absorbed by its wealth of fruit, and this full-bodied Chateauneuf du Pape has a stacked mid-palate, building tannin and a great finish. It's just now starting to be drinkable, yet it still needs short term cellaring and will drink well for two decades or more.