Saouma/Rotem & Mounir Châteauneuf-du-Pape Arioso 2015

98 points Wine Spectator: "[$233 list] A stunning display of fruit, with a seamless and beguiling show of açaí, raspberry, plum and blackberry puree notes gliding through in lockstep. Light anise, black tea and incense elements weave around while the finish is pulled along by a mouthwatering combo of shiso leaf and iron details, with the fruit easily keeping pace. Approachable now because of the fruit, but this will cellar well for some time. Drink now through 2040. 35 cases imported. (9/30/19)"

97 points Josh Raynolds (Vinous): "Saturated, bright-rimmed red. A highly fragrant, complex nose evokes ripe red and dark berries, pungent flowers and exotic spices and a smoky mineral overtone adds vivacious lift. Juicy and concentrated in the mouth, offering alluringly sweet cherry preserve, Chambord, spicecake and floral pastille flavors that show superb detail and back-end thrust. Closes gently chewy, sweet and wonderfully long, with building tannins adding shape and final grip. Drink: 2026-2038. (Dec 2019)"

97 points Matt Walls (Decanter): "Raspberry, redcurrant, a touch of charcoal smokiness, pine needles. Full-bodied, but fresh and cooling, acidity is remarkably high for the vintage, and it's intensely saline and mineral. It has the bold Châteauneuf frame, but no Châteauneuf fat, and plenty of searching, fine-toothed tannin. Long finish. Yes you can drink it now, but I suspect it will be an epic wine as it approaches 20 years, such is the structure, power and finesse. North-facing slope of lieu-dit Pignan, pure Grenache planted on sand and galets roulés. 11-day cold maceration, then aged for three years on the full lees in 228l and 500l barrels from the Jupilles forest. Drinking Window: 2020-2035. (6/5/20)"

95-97 points Jeb Dunnuck: "Similar in style to the 2016, just slightly more elegant, the 2015 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Arioso is the Chambolle-Musigny of the Rhône Valley with its huge perfume of spring flowers, pepper, exotic fruits, and spice. Possessing remarkable elegance, full body, ultra-fine tannin, and a great, great texture, it's up with the top wines in the vintage and will keep for two decades. Burgundy-based Mounir Saouma continues to make exotic, singular wines from his cellar located north of Orange. The estate likes to include lots of press wine, keep wine on skins for years, and bottle unfined and unfiltered. (8/28/18)"