2018 Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge Grand Vin Château de Nalys

The flagship wine of de Nalys sourced from the famed La Crau vineyard, this powerful, complex red highlights Grenache augmented by Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Vacarèse. Matured partially in oak, it offers black-plum flavors muted by shades of earth, sun-scorched garrigue and a lingering vein of salty minerality. While soft in tannin, the wine needs time to tease out its smoky, stony nuances. Drink 2028–2040.

A bright savory note leads off this red, followed quickly by sanguine and bay leaf accents, all melding nicely with the core of steeped blackberry, raspberry and plum fruit flavors as they move through the rich, licorice root– tinged finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Vaccarèse. Best from 2022 through 2035.

Deep ruby. Red and blue fruit, garrigue, pungent floral and exotic spice aromas show fine definition and mineral lift. Juicy black raspberry, boysenberry and candied lavender flavors deepen through the back half, with no loss of energy. Closes with emphatic, spicy thrust on the penetrating finish, which features even tannins and resonating floral and blue fruit notes.

Lush, round, ripe, juicy and fruity, the wine explodes with waves of dark cherries, kirsch and cherry griotte. Richly textured with good concentration of flavor, followed by length and purity on the palate, this should age and evolve quite well. Read more at:https://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/2020/10/2018-chateauneuf-du-pape-report-with-tasting-notes-harvest-info/?fbclid=IwAR3NjDhWE_jIJkpzvnXni6gCAOTtWz5N9vqjOLXPzs3Tpi8-XMxXvgFEbkw

The 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Nalys Grand Vin is also up-front and charming, yet it has more flesh and opulence, with impressive darker fruits, pepper, earthy, and chocolate-like nuances. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it has notable balance and depth, and while I certainly like it today, it has enough structure and concentration to evolve for over a decade. A brilliant 2018, it ranks with the top wines in the vintage.

The full-bodied 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Grand Vin delivers plenty of bold raspberry and blueberry notes. It's almost creamy across the mid-palate but turns a bit more open-knit and coarser-textured on the lingering finish. Still, it's a delicious effort, well worth drinking over the next 10–15 years. 2023 - 2035