HOT off les Press! Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate only a couple of issues ago emphasized; that “this estate has been a staple in many American cellars for decades because they consistently combine quality and value, this is one of the Southern Rhône’s most important addresses for wine lovers” and VOILA. How about a 97-pointer at $49 AND shipping included on 3+? OUI, OUI!

Glossy on the edge with a bright deep lipstick red hue, and opaque crimson on the inside. One sniff and you know it’s Châteauneuf, bright cherry liqueur mingled with earth and spice tones. Authoritative with elegance and finesse, plums, dried apricots, sage, leather, and mineral. The finish is simply sublime, without knowing how to quit, combining the allure of decadence with freshness. A vast array of pairings are welcome, from aged hard cheeses and charcuterie to ratatouille or a roast leg of lamb, this profound red is versatile and complex to accompany it all too well.

What Wine Spies uncovered, to help explain the raving reviews (and because we just are obsessed with digging deeper) is that the ‘Les Origines’ vines border the venerable Château de Beaucastel whose reds cost at least double this price! It sure would be a missed opportunity not to secure as much of a wine of this caliber under $50, while you can. This selling out is inevitable.

Here’s what the wine press has to say:

97 Points, Cellar Selection! – Wine Enthusiast - “Crisp black fruit and dried lavender are restrained on the nose but gain richness and ripeness on the palate of this buoyant red. It’s laden with plum and cherry flavors yet silky in mouthfeel, freshened by a crush of minerality. Firm, densely packed tannins offer a noble frame and should integrate better from 2021. This wine has vast potential for aging, likely far beyond 2030.

96+ Points – Jeb Dunnuck - “Possibly the finest vintage of this cuvée to date, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines (50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and the balance Syrah) offers a full-bodied, unctuous, yet thrillingly pure style in its black raspberry, cassis, licorice and spice aromas and flavors. It has a smoking good mid-palate, building, ripe tannin and a huge finish.”

95 Points – Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate - “About as sexy as they come, 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines features dark, chocolaty notes layered over plums and black cherries. Deep, rich and intense yet sleek and plush, it’s a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah aged in vats (for the Grenache) and barrels (for the other varieties). It should drink well for over a decade. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. Drink 2018-2030.”