The Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2023 is a perfumed, medium-bodied red from the northern edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the southern Rhône Valley, led by Grenache and built on lift and detail rather than sheer power. Charvin's 2023 is a Grenache-dominant blend, with small parcels of Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Vaccarèse filling out the frame.

Red cherry and crushed strawberry lead the aromatics, with dried thyme, orange peel and a faint waft of woodsmoke behind them. The palate follows the same line — sweet-fruited but not heavy, with raspberry, plum skin and a savoury, peppery edge that keeps things honest.

Tannins are fine and powdery, more suede than grip, and there is enough acidity through the middle to stop the fruit sprawling. The finish is long and spicy, drying gently and leaving that garrigue-herb character behind. This is a Châteauneuf-du-Pape that rewards a decant of an hour or so.

Serve it with slow-roasted lamb shoulder, duck with olives, a mushroom and thyme risotto, or a plate of hard sheep's cheeses. Grilled quail and anything cooked over coals works just as well.

Drinking well from 2026 and holding comfortably through to 2040, with the mid-term years likely to show it at its most generous.