Chateauneuf du Pape Habemus Papam, Santa Duc

Lots of smoke, pepper and blackberries on the nose, but also ripe red berries and dried flowers that expand as it aerates. At once ripe and fleshy, but also silky and graceful. Full-bodied. Underplayed power until you get right to the finish where you feel the beautifully crafted structure. A cuvee of 60% grenache from Le Pradel and 40% syrah from La Font du Pape. 75% whole bunch.

Vivid ruby. Displays an array of ripe red and blue fruit, floral and spice qualities on the fragrant nose, along with suggestions of garrigue and smoked meat. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering appealingly sweet black raspberry, boysenberry and fruitcake flavors that deepen through the back half. Talc-y tannins build on a long penetrating finish that strongly echoes the spice and herb notes. - Josh Raynolds

Currently showing reduction on the nose, but this should be rectified before bottling, better on the palate. It’s a tight, taut style that is focussed and intense and tannic too. Quite an idiosyncratic style. There’s a lovely sense of salinity and freshness on the palate providing drinkability and power - a rare combination. Needs to be re-tasted once in bottle, but could be excellent. Grown on sandy clay soils, aged for 18 months in foudres and terracotta jars

A blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Habemus Papam boasts intriguing aromas of garrigue, fennel, roses and purple raspberries. It's medium to full-bodied and silky in texture, striking a fine structural balance between delicacy and tensile strength, with a long, mouthwatering, licorice-tinged finish. - Josh Raynolds

Roses, mint and raspberries give the full-bodied 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Habemus Papam a deceptively light, airy feel. Silky tannins reinforce that sensation, finishing with hints of black tea and a soft dusting of Asian five spice powder. It's a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that should drink well for a decade or more. - Joe Czerwinski

Glistening magenta. Ripe red berries, candied flowers, licorice and white pepper on the pungent nose; a smoky mineral flourish adds vivacity. Juicy and energetic on the palate, offering sweet cherry, raspberry preserve and floral pastille flavors that spread out and deepen on the back half. Closes silky, sweet and impressively long, with slow-building tannins adding shape and subtle grip. - Josh Raynolds

Very suave, intense and detailed wine with an array of ripe, red fruit, dark berries in the blue-to-purple spectrum and a swathe of wild herbs. Gently spicy play of oak. The palate has a very composed and focused feel. Long, fine, even and plush tannins.

Limpid ruby. Deep, smoke-accented dark berry and violet pastille scents are energized by a jolt of peppery spice. Smoky, sweet and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated boysenberry and cherry liqueur flavors and a hint of candied licorice. Shows very good power and energy and finishes with excellent persistence, featuring velvety, late-arriving tannins and a discreet touch of gaminess. - Josh Raynolds

Still in foudre, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Habemus Papam looks to have softened considerably since I tasted it last year. Floral-herbal notes accent ripe cherries, while the palate boasts a wonderfully rich, creamy texture. Full-bodied, with supple tannins, this tour de force is long, silky and elegant. - Joe Czerwinski

The 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Habemus Papam suffers only by comparison to the domaine's other micro-cuvées. It still delivers lovely cherry and stone fruit notes, medium to full body and ample concentration. The tannins are a bit grippier in this wine, so lay it down for a few years. - Joe Czerwinski

The 2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Pape ‘Habemus Papam’ is elegant and refined, with gorgeous aromas of fresh cherries and raspberries, which are mixed with licorice, white pepper, lavender and crushed stones. It possesses a medium body, backed by fine silky tannins and wonderful focused through the finish. Although this is impressive right now for its beautiful fresh quality, which I love, this will ultimately need more time in bottle before it will reach its true potential. (Best 2016-2028)

Proprietor Yves Gras has made a gorgeous 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Habemus Papam that's showing even better from bottle than barrel. Deep ruby colored, with upfront notes of black raspberry, toasted spice, licorice, leather and pepper, this beauty hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, loads of sweet fruit and ripe, rounded tannin that emerges on the finish. Coming from sandy plots in la Crau lieu-dit and made from 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre, it's already drinking nicely, yet will have a graceful evolution through 2025. - Jeb Dunnuck

From a domaine located in Gigondas, this is a profound Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Yes, there's some toasty oak on the nose, but underneath is a big, sturdy core of dark cherries, bay leaf and garrigue. This is a structured wine that's built for the cellar. Drink 2018–2030. - Joe Czerwinski