The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape falls short of the beautiful 2015 version, but it is still excellent. A 70-30 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre raised in concrete, it offers aromas of dark, dried fruit and cola, layered with a hint of horse blanket. Full-bodied, chewy and tannic, this old-school offering will need a few years to soften.

Moving to the current releases from bottle, the 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape (70% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 5% Syrah) is a ripe, sexy and seamless effort that gives up plenty of sweet red fruits, garrigue, truffle and kirsch. Medium to full-bodied, with a forward, hard-to-resist style, it should evolve gracefully through 2022.

The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape exhibits a saturated ruby/purple color along with a nose of licorice, blueberries and dark black cherry confiture. Powerful and full-bodied with good acids, freshness and delineation, it is a precise, large-scaled wine that requires several years of cellaring before consumption. (Not yet released)This 22-acre estate is on top of its game thanks to the efforts of the brilliant brother and sister team of Daniel and Christine Chaussy, who have been hitting all the high notes for the last 15 or more years. There are three cuvees of red Chateauneuf du Pape, and I would suggest that 2009 and 2010 are the finest back-to-back vintages produced to date (although one can not forget the prodigious 2007s turned out by the Chaussys). The 2010s are brilliant efforts across the board, potentially even better than the 2009s, and certainly more structured with higher acids and more aging potential. Kudos to Daniel and Christine Chaussy, who, by the way, are well-worth visiting should you venture into the northern tier of Chateauneuf du Pape where all their vineyards are located, just south of the ancient Roman town of Orange.Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173

The stunning 2009s include the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape, which is showing even better than it did last year. This strong, powerful, concentrated effort exhibits a dense purple color as well as loads of blueberry, black currant and black cherry fruit. A blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre, it is a sexy, opulent, voluptuous, seductive, head-turning Chateauneuf that should drink beautifully for 10-12 years. This 22-acre estate is on top of its game thanks to the efforts of the brilliant brother and sister team of Daniel and Christine Chaussy, who have been hitting all the high notes for the last 15 or more years. There are three cuvees of red Chateauneuf du Pape, and I would suggest that 2009 and 2010 are the finest back-to-back vintages produced to date (although one can not forget the prodigious 2007s turned out by the Chaussys). The 2010s are brilliant efforts across the board, potentially even better than the 2009s, and certainly more structured with higher acids and more aging potential. Kudos to Daniel and Christine Chaussy, who, by the way, are well-worth visiting should you venture into the northern tier of Chateauneuf du Pape where all their vineyards are located, just south of the ancient Roman town of Orange.Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173