94-96 points Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The final blend of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape La Crau will include 60% to 65% Grenache, 15% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, with the remainder Cinsault. Boasting complex scents of roses, black tea, raspberries and cherries on the nose, it follows that up with a full-bodied palate that’s silky and airy in texture yet flavorful and tremendously long on the finish. It fits perfectly with the Brunier’s stated goal of pursuing elegance. The quality and consistency of the wines here largely speak for themselves. While the focus has always been on producing high-quality wines, what that means has been refined over the years, with an increasing emphasis on terroir expression and inherent elegance. Introduced in 2011, the Piedlong bottling reflects this, coming almost entirely from that lieu-dit. Unfortunately, those Grenache vines didn’t fare well under the mildew onslaught in 2018, and there’s no 2018 Piedlong. Such are the perils of a terroir-based approach. (JC)