Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge Omnia Saouma 2014

Omnia is Latin for “all”, and this particular wine is a blend of all 9 of Mounir Saouma’s vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape providing a snapshot of the entire region’s terroir. A blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre from selected old vines, it is vinified and aged in foudres, cement and 500-litre barrels, with no racking, fining or filtration. Though using old-school techniques this feels like a thoroughly “modern” interpretation of Châteauneuf. It is rich, dense and powerful, laden with red fruits, spices and stoney minerality, yet it has a gracefulness and precision few else manage to capture.