Domaine Durieu Lucile Avril Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2010

I'm not sure the 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Lucile Avril will eclipse the 2007, but it is a magnificent wine. The precise blend of 90% tank-aged Grenache, 6% Mourvedre and 4% Syrah (both aged in small oak barrels) includes 100% stems, and was bottled with no filtration. It shares several characteristics with the 2007, including a dense purple color and a flamboyant, exotic nose of jammy black fruits, incense, truffles and garrigue. Slightly more firmer structured than the 2007, the 2010 must tip the scales at over 15% alcohol given its level of glycerin and mouth-coating viscosity. This sensational effort still has some tannins to shed, but it is beautifully rich, pure and multidimensional. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring, and drink it over the following 15-20 years. Score - 94. (Robert Parker Jr., erobertparker.com, Oct. 2012)