Tasted as a sample blended from several foudres, the 2018 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel features scents of sun-warmed stones and ripe raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, it's plush and open-knit, already giving a lot of pleasure, and finishing zesty and long.

From a vineyard just across the A7 interstate, on the northern edge of Châteauneuf Du Pape and not far from the estate, the 2018 Côtes Du Rhône Coudoulet De Beaucastel offers a pretty, medium to full-bodied, elegant profile that's a great introduction into the 2018 vintage. Complex notes of garrigue, peppery spice, and dark fruits all emerge from this nuanced, balanced effort that will drink well right out of the gate.