Domaine Santa Duc : Les Saintes Vierges 2022

A distinctive style, with a lighter profile to the red currant, sweet earth and apple wood notes gliding through, supported by glossy, fine-grained tannins. Round in feel, offering cool mint and eucalyptus elements that add savory and refreshing detail. Texturally impressive, with poise to the vivid, salty finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Counoise. Drink now through 2038. 454 cases made, 66 cases imported.

Great red fruit aromas, but also wet earth and tar. Rich, concentrated and very suave on the full-bodied palate, this Chateauneuf has extremely fine tannins and terrific balance. Extremely long, velvety finish with great spicy complexity. A vineyard on sandy soil planted mainly with grenache plus small amounts of mourvedre and counoise. From biodynamically grown grapes. Drink from release.

The sophisticated 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Saintes-Vierges delights with pronounced violets, black cherry, dried herbs, red plum and licorice. Full-bodied and concentrated yet flawlessly elegant, this energetic red walks off the stage with uplifting freshness and outstanding focus. Although the quality is obvious, the 2022 Les Saintes-Vierges requires additional time in the cellar than the more accessible Habemus Papam from the same vintage.

The wine opens with notes of wild flowers, white pepper and kirsch. The palate is refined, soft, and accessible, delivering layers of ripe, supple-textured, refined cherries and strawberries, with just a hint of spice and herbs adding complexity. The wine blends close to 90% Grenache, with 9% Mourvedre, and 1% Counoise. Drink from 2025-2037.