Chateau Maucoil, Privilege Chateauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2015

94 points Wine Advocate
"I couldn't discern much difference between the 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Privilege and the Esprit de Maucoil. The Privilege is a floral yet full-bodied wine that never seems overly rich or heavy, but instead, it steadily unfurls layers of red fruits and spice on its long, silky finish. It should drink well for another decade or more."

93 points Wine Spectator
"Juicy and inviting, with layers of fig, boysenberry and raspberry pâte de fruit driving through, lined with a licorice snap note and backed by warm fruitcake and toasted apple wood accents. Juicy and mouthfilling, relying on a burst of fruit, but with the depth and cut to back it up. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Clairette and Bourboulenc. Drink now through 2030. 600 cases made, 200 cases imported."

93 points Jeb Dunnuck
"Based on 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre and a mix of other varieties, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Privilège is a step up, with more concentration, medium to full-bodied richness, and fine tannin. It has terrific notes of black cherries, raspberries, graphite and ground pepper, with impressive richness and depth in the vintage, moderate tannin, and a great finish. Drink it over the coming decade."

93 points Falstaff
"Intense ruby garnet, purple reflections, broad and bright rim. Dark berries with a touch of goudron in the background, subtle herbal savouriness, ripe heart cherries. Juicy, elegant, sweet cherries also in the texture, fine tannins, fresh and persistent, already accessible, a multi-faceted food wine."

Vinous Reverie Notes
Chateau Maucoil dates back to the Roman empire, when the site was planted with vineyards for Caesar’s legions and colonists. The Chateau itself was established in 1624 and is located on the plateau of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation, with vineyards reaching into the neighboring Cotes-du-Rhone Villages district. Chateau Maucoil has been under the care of several different illustrious wine growing families over the centuries, but it is now owned and managed by the talented winemakers Frederic and Benoit Lavau. The story of the Lavau family, with its passion for wine and its love of the terroir and the land, began in Saint-Émilion in the 19th century, and continued in Tunisia where Rene Lavau and his son transformed a small estate of vines and orange trees into a flourishing business which became the country’s biggest wine producer. Their long history in the wine trade is evident in the care and commitment they pour into running the Maucoil estate. With the consulting advice of famed French winemaker Stephane Derenoncourt, the Lavau brothers have been making stellar and highly awarded wines and today are one of the few producers to continue to cultivate all 13 permitted grape varieties permitted by the Châteauneuf-du-Pape regulations. The 45 hectares of vines in the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation have been tended using certified organic viticultural methods since 2011. The Lavau family tends their vineyard with maximum respect for the environment, allowing the vines to grow naturally with care, precision and patience resulting in beautiful, terroir-driven wines. Tasting Notes: Deep ruby red in color with a powerful nose of black olives and tobacco. Concentrated and earthy on the palate with polished tannins and a lasting finish.