CDP Le Vieux Donjon, Le Vieux Donjon (Lucien Michel) 2019

I was able to taste the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape multiple times, and it’s the finest vintage I’ve ever tasted from this estate, surpassing even the 2016. Lovers of classic, impeccably made Châteauneuf du Pape should back up the truck on this beauty. A wine of incredible richness and depth, as well as elegance, it has a gorgeous nose of peppery herbs, blackberries, garrigue, cured meats, and sandalwood. Full-bodied and concentrated, it builds incrementally on the palate and is perfectly balanced, with sensational purity, ripe tannins, and a great, great finish. There’s nothing over the top or out of place, and traditionally made Châteauneuf du Pape doesn’t get much better. It needs 2-4 years of bottle age and will shine for well over two decades. Bravo!

Cask sample. Oodles of fresh fruit with a sense of earthy minerality – fragrant sweet blueberry pie. A note of leather and then followed by layers of very fine refined tannins that drench the whole palate but always with grace, a lovely note of chocolate and violets with a mish mash of dark and red fruits – ripe, generous, succulent but also very focussed. Absolutely delicious. (AC)Drink 2025 – 2045

A great vintage of Vieux Donjon, the 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape is still sturdy and tannic, marked by concentrated dark fruit. Powerful and concentrated, it deserves another few years in the cellar, although it begins to be approachable after four hours in a decanter.

A beautifully textured, medium to full-bodied, classic effort from this team, the 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape boasts a deeper ruby/purple color, traditional notes of ground pepper, Provençal garrigue, smoked meat, and red and black fruits, a terrific mid-palate, ripe, silky tannins, and a great, great finish. This is an outstanding vintage for this cuvée that’s going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years or more. 2020 - 2040