This is a big brooding beast of a wine with myriad depths. As such, it not only needs food to tame it, but it needs the right food. Think big flavours, & ideally base those around lamb, from herb-crusted roasted legs to Mediterranean-style casseroles steeped in olive oil, rosemary & garlic. Venison works well too, as do strong hard cheeses. Domaine Mestre lies in the heart of the Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation & has 11 hectares under vine. With a typically Chateauneuf terroir: pebbly soil & red clay covered with fat pudding stones rocks, the viticulture is handled organically, with green harvesting carried out rigorously to ensure low yields & intensely flavoured grapes. Deep & inky black in the glass, with powerful aromas of ripe sun-baked fruits, black olive, tamarind & orange peel with a gamey, âanimal' backnote. On the palate it is rich & sumptuous, but focused & rounded too, showing good complexity but a clear path through its intriguing depths. A mahogany-like warmth coats the finish.