2016 Saint-Theodoric Chateauneuf du Pape le Grand Pin

On the day of my visit this year, the 2016 La Guigasse was in full voice, while the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Le Grand Pin was singing quietly. Rosemary and pine notes accent dark fruit in this wine, which comes from 35-year-old Grenache vines in the Rayas lieu-dit. Boysenberry notes flood the full-bodied palate, bringing a smooth, velvety feel on the long, slightly warm finish. Winemaker Baptiste Grangeon opines, "For me, the 2015 is one of the best wines of my life, but Peter [Weygandt, the owner] says the 2016 is better." What fun it will be to see how this pair develops over the next decade or more. Review Date: August 2018