93+ Joe Czerwinski - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Girard hadn't been blended when I visited the estate last year, so this bottled sample was my first look at the cuvée for the American importer. It closely mirrors the regular bottling, but typically includes a bit more old-vine Grenache. The nose is similar, offering up hints of dried spices, earth and black cherries, but the feel on the full-bodied palate is richer and more enveloping, with a creamy-velvety texture that flows seamlessly onto the long, plush finish.