One of the few estates in the appellation to make just a single red wine, Vieux Donjon's 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape starts off promising. Dark in the glass, it offers up notions of loam and dark fruit, suggestive of blueberries and plums. It's full-bodied, dense and concentrated, with a rich, velvety feel and long finish, both of which suggest further rewards from cellaring, even if it's not as flattering out of the gate as the stellar 2018.

The 2014 Chateauneuf du Pape is a classic blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault. Notes of sweet kirsch, currants, garrigue and while pepper all emerge from this medium-bodied, elegant and balanced Chateauneuf du Pape that shows the more forward, mid-weight style of the vintage. It has class and elegance, but I suspect it’s best consumed in its first decade or so.