All Grenache, all whole cluster, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul combines hints of menthol and steaminess with big blackberry and raspberry fruit. Full-bodied, creamy and lush, it finishes long and velvety, a tour de force of Grenache.

While the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul does show a touch of oak influence on the nose, it also shows more freshness and energy than the regular cuvée. All Grenache, all whole cluster and aged in used demi-muids, there are waves of ripe raspberries and black cherries, drizzled with dark chocolate and spice. Full-bodied and velvety, it's a big, plush, welcoming mouthful of super ripe Grenache that avoids going completely over the top.

Rich and almost painfully intense, from yields that were reduced by coulure to only about six hectoliters per hectare, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul is steadfast in being all Grenache and all whole cluster. Licorice, chocolate and super ripe plums appear on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and velvety, with a long, warm finish.

All Grenache, all whole cluster and from parcels in the lieux-dits of La Guigasse, Le Crau and Les Serres, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee de Mon Aieul has evolved beautifully since I tasted it last year, showing vibrant floral and tea-like notes, raspberry fruit and hints of licorice. It's full-bodied, rich and velvety, with overtones of spice cake on the long, crisp finish. Tasting it, I was surprised to find out what the alcohol level was, because it showed no obvious heat—a testament to how much else is going on here.