2016 Domaine Bosquet des Papes Chateauneuf-du-Pape A la Gloire de Mon Grand-Pere 750 ml

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape That No Cellar is Complete Without

It’s quite an experience to taste with fifth-generation winegrower Nicolas Boiron and legendary Rhône consultant Philippe Cambie. Both men—like the Bosquet des Papes wine themselves—are large, powerfully built, and earthy. The only time you’ll find Boirin without dirt under his fingernails is when he’s squeezed into a suit manning a booth at “Discovery Rhône Valley,” while Cambie is a former rough-and-tumble rugby player with an aristocrat’s palate.

Together, the two men have engineered a near-unstoppable run at Bosquet des Papes, producing wines characterized by meaty power, intense garrigue aromatics, and dense notes of leather, tar, and rich purple fruit that can go up against the most iconic cuvées of Southern Rhône.

Sourced from a single, rock-strewn vineyard in the Gardiole lieu-dit from century-old vines, this 2016 Bosquet des Papes cuvée is a transporting, spectacularly expressive Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The Grenache vines in the heart of Châteauneuf-du-Pape region that provide this cuvée with its inimitable structure snake their way through smooth, river rocks and desert-like sand, reaching deep into the soil to capture nutrients and instill their essence in this dark, powerful Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Their effort is worth it.

Awarding the 2016 97 points, Rhône authority Jeb Dunnuck didn’t mince words: “this is Grenache at its finest and is going to knock your socks off over the coming 10-15 years.” Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate followed with 96 points, calling it “stunning” and “a terrific value.” 2016 was one of the Rhône’s greatest vintages of the modern era, making today’s offer a must-buy for collectors. “This is a property to buy from before pricing jumps,” advises the Advocate. Today is your shot.

Sitting with this dynamic duo in the cellar, it was hard as well not to feel the palpable excitement around the 2016 vintage, which has elicited a tsunami of critical praise. Cambie speculated that it may be the vintage of the century, without a doubt one of the best vintages he’d ever worked, exceeding even 2005, 2010, and 2015 thanks to its richness, power, and consistency. It was also a growing season that played perfectly into the style Boiron that has been honing to perfection, retaining phenolic ripeness yet structured elegantly, and mouthwateringly fresh.

Bosquet des Papes has long been at the top of the list for collectors of old-school Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the “A Gloire de Mon Grand-Pere” cuvée in particular seems to have time-traveled to the present from the 1980s, before CdP’s flirtation with new oak and New World-inspired fruit concentration.

Combining the prettiness of a Beaucastel with the depth of a Vieux Télégraphe, this ancient vine release is proof that sometimes the oldest, most traditional techniques produce the most sublime results. The last word in fruit purity and rustic muscle, capable of aging 5-7 years, this is bucket list wine without the bucket list price.