Half Grenache and half Syrah, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvée la Cote Ronde spent 17 months in new oak barrels and was yet to be bottled when I tasted near the end of 2021. Full-bodied, velvety in texture and quite dense on the palate, it delivers notes of plum, spice cake, vanilla and clove.

Brighter and fresher than the 2015 version, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee la Cote Ronde spent 17 months in new oak without dimming its concentrated beam of cherry-berry fruit. There's a dusting of cocoa, but this full-bodied, supple wine finishes zesty and long.

A blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah that spends 16 months in new oak barrels, the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee la Cote Ronde is a dark, leathery, chocolaty and richly tannic wine. It may turn out OK in the long run, but my feeling is that it lacks that bit of vibrance it needs to sustain it over the 10 years it will take to shed its tannin.

Offering more chocolate, roasted herbs, currants and cassis-like aromas and flavors, the 2014 Chateauneuf du Pape La C?te Ronde (always equal parts Grenache and Syrah aged in new barrels) is medium-bodied, fresh and focused, with the lighter, more mid-weight style of the vintage. Still, it’s more tight and focused than the more sweetly fruited Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Juline and will be better in another year or two. Like the other 2014s here, I doubt they’ll be the longest lived wines, yet they will keep nicely given their overall balance, purity and ripe tannin.

Another terrific success in the vintage is the 2013 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee la C?te Ronde. A blend of equal parts Grenache and Syrah raised all in small barrels, it offer tons of crème de cassis, black raspberry, vanilla bean and wood smoke nuances in its full-bodied, rich, layered and polished personality. I love its purity of fruit, and it has the balance and concentration to evolve nicely through 2028.