Wine: 2010’s Châteauneufs

Sometimes it feels like you can’t open a Châteauneuf-du-Pape without starting a fight, said Eric Asimov in The New York Times. Once a wine loved for its “mossy idiosyncrasies,” this grenache-dominated French blend grew more expensive as it changed character and became “a favorite of those who prize big, lush, fruity wines.” But the 2010 vintage seems special, capable of bridging the “yawning gap” between the old style and the new.

Domaine Moulin-Tacussel ($42). A wine of “savage energy,” our favorite 2010 has “an old-school rustic air to it,” with herbal aromas and hints of “smoky” dark fruit.

Mas de Boislauzon ($40). This blend tastes “almost sleek by contrast,” offering “clear, inviting flavors of red fruit.”

Domaine Monpertuis ($37). Our top value choice is “spicy and pure.” It too has “plenty of red fruit.”