Clos Des Brusquieres Chateauneuf du Pape 2019

At only eight hectares in size, this miniscule, ultra-traditional estate produces tiny quantities of just one wine: no luxury cuvée, no specialty blend, just a stunningly pure and complex Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Owner Claude Courtil is the godson of Henri Bonneau, one of the most legendary and revered producers in the region, and he learned everything he knows about winemaking from his godfather. Henri and Claude share a deeply held commitment to natural winemaking: manual vineyard work, traditional aging in large foudres, and bottling without intrusive fining and filtration. With incredibly old vines that average 70 years old, this is truly a special domaine, and one that is extremely deserving of your attention.

This Châteauneuf-du-Pape is made of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah 5% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, 70+ year old vines. Owner and winemaker Claude Courtil makes the wine exclusively with indigenous yeasts, and ages the wine in a combination of cement and demi-muids. Look for hugely aromatic red and dark berry, potpourri and floral scents underscored by smoky minerality and a suggestion of Asian spices. Sappy, focused and impressively deep yet lively, offering alluringly sweet raspberry, cherry compote and spicecake flavors.