Châteauneuf-du-Pape: Le Vieux Donjon Rouge 2015
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"I loved the 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape from Claire Michel and it’s a classic blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault, mostly from rolled stone terroirs, that was partially destemmed and brought up all in foudre. It’s a downright sexy, voluptuous 2015 offering textbook notes of kirsch liqueur, ground pepper, herbes de Provence, and incense. It picks up more dark fruit with time in the glass, is full-bodied, has plenty of fat and glycerin, and ample tannin, although they’re so polished you have to hunt for them. This gorgeous example of traditionally made Châteauneuf du Pape that’s going to drink beautifully for 15+ years. 95/100."
Jeb Dunnuck - JebDunnuck.com
Le Vieux Donjon make just one red wine and that is consistently excellent. Their celebrated single cuvée red Châteauneuf' is made from a core of 75% Grenache Noir along with 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre and 5% Cinsault. It has alluring garrigue berry scents and a sumptuous palate with a wealth of red fruit flavours over a background of ripe tannins and subtle, spicy undertones. It comes into its own at 3 to 5 years of age and good vintages will keep well for 2 decades or more.
| Style | Red Wine, Sec, Full-bodied, Non Sparkling |
|---|---|
| Wine Region | Rhône, Châteauneuf du Pape |
| Grape Variety (Cépage) | Cinsault, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre, Syrah |
| Food & Wine Matching | Beef, Casserole, Chicken and Turkey, Mushrooms, Pheasant and Game |
| Viticulture | Non-Organic |
| Vintage | 2015 |
| Cellarage | Drink 2020 to 2026+. |
| Vinification | Low yields of ripe grapes are picked by hand from 80+ year old vines. They then undergo an alcoholic fermentation in cement vats for 18 to 21 days, followed by 2 months in cement tanks for a malolactic fermentation. The wine is left unfiltered and is bottled 18 months after the vendage. |
| Alcohol By Volume (%) | 14.5 |
Le Vieux Donjon
It might surprise some people to find that world-renowned domaine Le Vieux Donjon is a relatively new creation, having been founded after the marriage of Lucien and Marie José Michel in 1979, although these days it is run by their daughter Claire and son François. Despite their huge success, the modest Michel family go about their business with the minimum of fuss, producing just the one red and one white wine from 18 hectares of vines (some of which are over 80 years old) across 6 lieux-dits and eschewing the practice of fancy special cuvées.
"Along with a small handful of other estates, I consider Claire Michel’s le Vieux Donjon at the top of the heap when it comes to classic, age-worthy and traditionally made Châteauneuf du Papes."
Joe Czerwinski - The Wine Advocate, robertparker.com
"If seeking The Real Thing at Châteauneuf-du-Pape, where the Grenache is quite rightly seasoned with other varietal influences, and where the land is allowed to speak, I would highly recommend Le Vieux Donjon to anyone's cellar."
John Livingstone-Learmonth - drinkrhone.com
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