Chapelle St. Theodoric, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Guigasse 2020

Scents of roses, garrigue and blackberries mark the nose of the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape La Guigasse, still aging in demi-muids at the time of my visit. It's one of those special wines that manages to be full-bodied and concentrated, yet also pillowy-soft, nearly ethereal in the mouth. A bit more tannic and stern on the finish than the 2020 Le Grand Pin, it finishes long, with a lingering note of licorice.

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Guigasse is cut from the same cloth, with a big, spicy bouquet of ripe black cherries, Asian spice, Provençal garrigue, and sappy flowers. It's rich, medium to full-bodied, has a great mid-palate, and a seamless texture. It's a big mouthful of classic Southern Rhône goodness that can be drunk today or cellared for 10-15 years. As with the Grand Pin, this is all non-destemmed Grenache that comes from the La Guigasse lieu-dit (also sandy soils) and is brought up all in used demi-muids.