"The 2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “Vieilles Vignes” from Domaine de Cristia is made entirely from grenache, with this parcel of fifty-five year-old vines lying close to Château de Beaucastel’s famed Coudelet vineyard and right on the appellation boundary of Châteauneuf du Pape. The wine offers up a superb bouquet of red and black raspberries, a touch of fruitcake, roasted meats, a fine base of soil, a touch of lavender and a topnote of distant bonfire. On the palate the wine is fullbodied, focused and complex, with superb depth of old vine fruit at the core, chewy tannins, very good balance and a long, gently chewy and very promising finish. As this is really a Châteauneuf du Pape in all but official appellation, it is structured and will need some cellaring before it starts 62 to soften up, but in due course, it is going to be superb. The wine comes in at 14.5 percent octane in 2022 and is cool in the mouth. Fine juice"