As always, the 2018 Chateauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina checks in as a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre that saw the Grenache aged all in concrete tanks and the Mourvedre new barrels. This richer, full-bodied, meaty 2018 boasts a fabulous mid-palate as well as a complex nose of cured meats, toasted spices, peppery garrigue, loamy earth, blackcurrants, and blackberries. It certainly displays the more forward, seamless style of the vintage, yet still brings plenty of power and richness as well as length on the finish. It's beautifully done yet unquestionably a more forward, approachable vintage for this cuvee. Give bottles 1-2 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following 15 years or so.

Jeb Dunnuck - Jeb Dunnuck (95+)