Xavier Vignon, Chateauneuf du Pape, Cuvee Anonyme 2016

95 Points Jeb Dunnuck The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Anonyme is the flagship and is mostly Grenache that was sourced from numerous terroirs throughout Châteauneuf-du-Pape and brought up in a mix of tank and barrels (some new). It offers a rocking bouquet of black raspberries, blueberries, lavender, Asian spices, and graphite. Like all of Xavier's 2016s, it has purity, freshness, and richness, yet still packs ample richness and depth. Give this full-bodied, elegant red another few years, and it will keep for a decade. 08/2018 93 Points CellarTracker  Ruby in color, with a nose that exudes peppery notes but also bright raspberries and some oak. Medium+ acidity, nice, dense palate with black pepper, cured meat, dark cherries, some forest floor - quite intricate overall and with medium+ tannins. Ending is lingering, quite long, with a touch of oak but mostly red and black fruits going on for a while. 2016 was such a great vintage - even a run-of-the-mill wine like this seems spe