While Hillaire's Les Terrasses bottling comes from Grenache grown on galets roulés, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Petits Pieds d'Armand is a sand-based bottling, sourced from la Crau (ouest). On the nose, it delivers scents of mocha, dark toast, earth, plummy fruit and cola-like spices. Full-bodied, rich and supple—almost creamy in texture—it's also layered, velvety and long on the finish.

All Grenache from a sandy portion of La Crau and aged in 400-liter barrels, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Petits Pieds d'Armand is darker and richer than the Les Terrasses bottling (off galets roulés). Concentrated and intense, it delivers scents of black cherries and garrigue, tinged with hints of dark chocolate and cinnamon. Full-bodied, velvety and rich, it finishes long, with less apparent heat on the finish than the Les Terrasses, and probably a bit more longevity.

Hillaire's 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Petits Pieds d'Armand comes from a patch of Grenache planted at the end of the 19th century in a sandy portion of la Crau. Aged in 400-liter barrels, it shows virtually no wood flavors, instead delivering floral notes of roses, black tea and ripe cherries. Full-bodied and supple, it picks up hints of cinnamon and clove on the long, silky-textured finish. It's a terrific effort that can be drunk with pleasure now and anytime over the next 15 years.

The 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Petits Pieds d'Armand comes from a parcel of Grenache originally planted at the end of the 19th century in a sandy part of La Crau. It's Hillaire's flagship, and it merits its status this vintage, where it shines with raspberry fruit and layers of dried spice complexity. It's full-bodied and rich yet silky, elegant and long on the finish, epitomizing the delicious contradictions that Grenache can present.

My favorite of the Olivier Hillaire offerings was the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Petits Pieds d'Armand. It's a plump, supple wine with a creamy texture and plenty of ripe fruit accented by a warm, spicy finish.