Domaine de Monpertuis Chateauneuf-du-Pape Tradition red 1999

A blend of 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah, aged for 18 months in a combination of foudre and very old barrels, Domaine Monpertuis' 1999 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a pure, classically styled, highly aromatic wine, with many notes of sappy green herbs, cracked pepper, herbed game and lavender, firmly linked to a core of ripe black fruit. This medium- to full-bodied 2010 is very straightforward and concentrated on the palate. It has juicy acidity and fine tannins, but also excellent ripeness and texture. Jeb Dunnuck