Chapelle St. Theodoric CdP La Guigasse 2016 (750ML)

95-97 WA / 94-96 JD / 92-94 VM

As I predicted last year, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape La Guigasse has smoothed out considerably and seemingly absorbed the stemmy elements I noted previously. Still not yet bottled, it now offers wonderful fruit purity and intensity. Raspberries and cherries are delivered on a full-bodied, rich and creamy palate that somehow avoids any sense of heaviness. It looks to be a stunning example of 70-year-old Grenache from the sandy lieu-dit of the same name. CZ – The Wine Advocate

Always a bigger, richer wine, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Guigasse is young and unevolved, yet has tons of potential. Blueberries, violets, spring flowers and hints of pine resin flow to a full-bodied, rich and textured beauty that good acidity and fine, building tannin. Like the Le Grand Pin, it’s 100% Grenache and this cuvee comes from the sandy soils of la Guigasse lieu-dit.

Limpid ruby-red. Highly expressive, mineral-accented aromas of raspberry, cherry and incense slowly pick up a suave floral element. Juicy and precise in the mouth, offering intense red fruit liqueur and lavender pastille flavors that flesh out and become spicier in the midpalate. Shows outstanding focus and zesty mineral bite on a long, penetrating finish that features silky tannins and a sexy floral note. - Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media