The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Combe des Fous features electric aromas of garrigue, exotic stone fruit, pomegranate, black cherries and perhaps even a touch of rose petals. Full-bodied and rich without being overly weighty or dense, plush and velvety on the finish yet vibrant and complex, this magnificent effort should drink well for at least a decade. From vines planted in 1905, it's approximately 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and 10% Vaccarèse.

The Maurel brothers went the extra mile to send me tank and barrel samples of their 2019s, so I've included those reviews here alongside the reviews of the bottled 2018s. Both years are successful here—the 2019s maybe slightly denser and more concentrated than the more elegant 2018s, but they aren't always better. This estate has become a model of consistency and excellence.

Falstaff 98 Punkte: Kräftiges Rubingranat, violette Reflexe, breitere Ockerrandaufhellung. Feine Edelholzwürze, ein Hauch von schwarzen Oliven und Tapenade, zart nach Lakritze, kandierte Orangenzesten, facettenreiches Bukett. Stoffig, komplex, süße Textur, dunkle Kirschen, reife Pflaumen und Feigen, gut integrierte Tannine, mineralisch, besitzt enorme Länge und großes Reifepotenzial.