Also pure perfection in a glass, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Deus-Ex Machina is a 60/40 split of Grenache and Mourvèdre, from tiny yields and the famed La Crau lieu-dit, that’s raised in a mix of concrete tanks and demi-muids. My notes on this wine were loaded with expletives and finishes with “awesome, just awesome.” Blackcurrants, kirsch liqueur, licorice, spiced meat, and Provençal garrigue all define this incredible achievement, and it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, remarkable purity, building, silky tannins, and a mammoth-sized finish.

Gorgeous, featuring wave after wave of warmed cassis, cherry purée and plum reduction flavors that just won't quit, though they stay restrained and focused. Sweet tobacco, singed alder, warm stone and bittersweet ganache notes form the detailed backdrop, with a late tug of iron and a flash of Turkish coffee at the end adding a sense of power and gravitas. Grenache and Mourvèdre.

Much like the La Combe des Fous, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape Deus Ex Machina seems denser and more concentrated and powerful than the more elegant 2018. Purple fruit and dark chocolate retain a remarkable degree of freshness in this full-bodied, velvety-textured and arguably over-exuberant puppy. There's tremendous material here, compressed into a potent ball of vinous energy that I expect will develop some more nuance and elegance over time. The Maurel brothers went the extra mile to send me tank and barrel samples of their 2019s, so I've included those reviews here alongside the reviews of the bottled 2018s. Both years are successful here—the 2019s maybe slightly denser and more concentrated than the more elegant 2018s, but they aren't always better. This estate has become a model of consistency and excellence.