Domaine Font de Courtedune 2021 Chateauneuf-du-Pape

"The 2021 Chateauneuf de Pape from Font de Courtedune unwinds very slowly in the glass, holding itself with great reserve. Mossy aromas predominate, wreathing around sweet soil tones, cherry, leather cure, and dried herbs including lavender and thyme. These mossy, almost stony and petrichoral, notes that preface and conclude the aromatic profile lend considerable intrigue. Dried rose, peach blossom, strawberry, and faint saline mineral tones emerge with air.

The palate is silken yet bristles with fresh, mineral-allied acidity; the tannins, fine and sandy with increasing grip as the fruit recedes to the centre of the tongue. Nice structure here. The finish is tinctured with candied orange peel and savoury herbal nuances. Powerful and delicate at the same time, the palate is awash with raspberry coulis and macerated strawberry, light red plums and even nectarine, with fresh marjoram and oregano bringing their anise-allied flavours. Faintly spicy and bitter nuances of white pepper, rhubarb, and dried orange peel add complexity. What makes this wine so wonderful is its lightness of presence, the delicacy and nature of the interplay of its fruit and savoury elements; the freshness with which it acquits itself. A Burgundian Chateauneuf." — David