2020 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources

2020 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources

2020 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources Roasted Provençal garrigue, black licorice, black raspberries, Asian spices, and a hint of cassis all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with a layered, medium to full-bodied profile that has silky tannins and no hard edges. It’s much more up-front and approachable than the more structured Les Hauts-Lieux and is going to drink fabulously well over the coming 15+ years. 96pts Jeb Dunnuck

Black raspberries, flowers, garrigue, licorice, mint and a background note of fig and cocoa at the end of the nose. The wine is bright, fresh and vibrant with a peppery edge on the kirsch, black raspberries, fig and cocoa that you find on the palate. There is a brightness to the fruit that provides lift and vibrancy in the finish that resonates. The wine was made from 60% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Cinsault and a myriad of various other allowable varieties. Drink from 2025-2038. 96pts Wine Cellar Insider

Daumen made a philosophical shift, choosing to base his cuvées on specific terroirs rather than on vine age. Les Trois Sources comes from the domaine’s sandy soil parcels, which impart a silky elegance to the typically powerful fruit profile of Grenache, the lead variety. The wine also contains Syrah, Counoise, Cinsault, Mourvèdre and others. Vieille Julienne’s wines are some of the longest-lived in the appellation.

The Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf is one of my all-time favorite Neufs and one of the greatest in the world. Over the past decade Jean-Paul Daumen has emerged as one of the most compelling winemakers in all of France. Daumen is one of the most meticulous viticulturists and winemakers in Chateauneuf du Pape. Taking advantage of his ancient vines in the Northern sector of Chateauneuf, and biodynamically farming the entire vineyard, he has produced extraordinary wines dating back to 1998 that have massive acclaim from the world’s most respected critics.. His winemaking philosophy is quite simple- old vines, tiny yields, no SO2 during vinification, neutral and no fining or filtration. His wines are benchmarks from the appellation.

We have secured a tiny amount of his great wine the 2020 Vielle Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape Les Trois Sources which received a monster 96pts by JD  and 96pts by Wine Cellar Insider. The 2020 vintage is strong getting 94pts by Parker for the Southern Rhone. The 2016 vintage of this wine was #5 on Wine Spectator’s Top 100. This is a wine of opulence and concentration, pure decadence and definitely full bodied. This wine is at the top of the Chateauneuf pyramid matching pure power with spectacular seamlessness. The wine is absolutely insane, lucky to taste. Very little available and truly special!