2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Roussannes Château Vaudieu

Even better, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Vieilles Roussannes is slightly deeper gold-colored and offers a fresh, medium to full-bodied, textured, flawlessly balanced style. Perfumed notes of pineapple and peach fruit, brioche, flowers, and hints of honey all dominate the bouquet, and this is going to shine on the dinner table. This cuvée is all Roussanne and was brought up in 50% new barrels, although you wouldn't know that by tasting it.

The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne is a not-so-subtle dark straw in hue, with obvious toast and honeyed aromas alongside hints of mocha and malt. All barrel-fermented and aged, it's fleshed out on the full- bodied, velvety-textured palate by flavors of tangerine and pineapple, which show remarkable freshness and verve on the lingering finish. In one of my notes on this wine, I actually wrote the word "long" three times. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes. 2019-2030.