2018 Château de Montfaucon "Baron Louis" Lirac

So much to say about Chateau de Montfaucon and their seminal Lirac that I don't know where to start. Along with Xavier, Montfaucon produces some of my favorite wines coming from the southern Rhone Valley, and this might represent the best value of any wine in that category. I love that they house a plethora of back vintages in their cellar and only release the wine when it's ready to drink. In this case, that patience is rewarded handsomely as ripe, concentrated red fruits flow generously from the glass, balanced by focused acidity, fine grain tannins, and the trademark herbal garrigue that comes with everything surrounding Chateauneuf du Pape. And this drinks very much like a Chateauneuf for half the price. The finesse and length on display here will impress and entice without fail, and having recently had the pleasure of tasting the 2009 and 2010 vintages again, I cannot wait to see how this one develops. Though lacking the in-your-face intensity of the 2017 vintage, it is without question a bottle worthy of buying by the case and revisiting frequently over the course of the next decade.

Another winner from Ch. Montaucon. One of the best Rhone wines that I have tasted this year. A nose of fresh, pure, deep red fruits and baking spices. On the palate, it starts out very dry and then expands quickly with plush red and black fruits. Just the right amount of tannin on the lingering finish. Supple and refined.