2018 Clos Saint Jean, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Deus ex Machina

Another terrific effort from this estate, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina shares a sense of elegance with its vintage stablemate, the La Combe des Fous. Kirsch, stone fruit, black cherries, licorice, pomegranate…the list could go on and on. And while the wine is undeniably full-bodied, it doesn't come across as heavy or hot, instead being built on a lacy, silky structure of fine tannins and rounded acids that linger on the finish.

As always, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina checks in as a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre that saw the Grenache aged all in concrete tanks and the Mourvèdre new barrels. This richer, full-bodied, meaty 2018 boasts a fabulous mid-palate as well as a complex nose of cured meats, toasted spices, peppery garrigue, loamy earth, blackcurrants, and blackberries. It certainly displays the more forward, seamless style of the vintage, yet still brings plenty of power and richness as well as length on the finish. It’s beautifully done yet unquestionably a more forward, approachable vintage for this cuvée. Give bottles 1-2 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 15 years or so.

Saturated violet. Expansive, mineral-accented black raspberry and boysenberry aromas are complemented by hints of licorice, vanilla and pungent flowers. Youthfully chewy and concentrated on the palate, offering sweet dark berry, cherry liqueur and floral pastille flavors sharpened by building spice and mineral flourishes. Rich yet energetic in style, finishing with excellent clarity and dusty tannins that sneak in late.