2012 - Chateauneuf-du-Pape Deus ex Machina, Clos Saint Jean

The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina is a blend of 60% Grenache aged in foudre (from close to 100-year-old vines) and 40% Mourvedre aged in demi-muids. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by incredible notes of cassis, roasted meats, licorice, toasted spice and a liquid rock-like minerality. Full-bodied, massive and concentrated, yet also seamless, elegant and incredibly polished, it flows onto the palate with building tannin, no hard edges and perfect balance. I wouldn’t be surprised to see this merit a perfect rating in the future, and it should hit prime-time drinking around age 10, and have 20-25 years of overall longevity. It’s one of the few wines to hit this level of quality in the vintage.

Brilliant ruby. Complex, highly perfumed nose evokes fresh blackberry, cherry, spicecake and violet. Juicy, seamless and sweet on the palate, offering nuanced flavors of dark fruit liqueur, succulent herbs and candied flowers. Densely packed but also lithe and precise, with slow-building tannins giving shape to the wine's exuberant fruit on the long, sappy finish.

60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre. 12 months in 60% concrete tanks, 40% barriques. Crimson. Extremely sweet start and then some freshness. Dense and rich. Very satisfying on the finish. Extremely ambitious and it works – so long as you don't mind your red wine reminding you very strongly of port! Some heat on the finish. (JR)