The top 5-star rating from Livingstone-Learmonth:
Quite a full red robe; the nose is very smoky, lined with pepper, rosemary, plums, is a virile do, is going to open devilishly well in a large glass, is a right goer potentially. The palate is clad in firm gras, has a real good heartbeat, a proper structure; the second half really digs in, persists, intensifies, the tannins rocky on the outside, compact on the inside, serve a very good buttress. There’s good concentration here, it’s well orchestrated, its depth coming from within, the length very good. “I am super proud of this – there’s a lot of alcohol, it’s very rich, but you have floral-herbaceous airs on the nose, rosemary and thyme. It’s very airborne for a powerful year,” Laurent Charvin.
And Dunnuck rates it equal to the Beaucastel!
The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape from Laurent is the usual blend of 82% Grenache and the rest nearly equal parts Syrah, Mourvèdre, Vaccarèse, and Counoise that was brought up all in concrete tank. It shows the sunny, spicy, Provençal style of the vintage beautifully while still having incredible freshness in its red and black fruits as well as garrigue, ground pepper, spring flowers, and incense aromas and flavors. Gorgeous on the palate as well, this medium to full-bodied Châteauneuf du Pape is balanced and has terrific tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. Rhône lovers need to have this beauty in their cellar, and it's going to offer pleasure for a solid two decades.
As so often, Charvin’s spectacular 2019 is THE best value among Chateauneuf’s recognized elite top producers.