Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieille Julienne Cuvée Vieilles Vignes Jean-Paul Daumen 1998 (Red)

Current owner Jean-Paul Daumen's great-grandfather bought this very fine property in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and planted the vines here at the end of the last century. It has been a family concern since 1905. In 1960, Maxime Daumen made the transition from selling wine in bulk to the trade, to bottling his own wine. Jean-Paul Daumen took up the baton in 1990. He immediately adopted a more natural approach to tending the soil and the vines, limiting treatments and abandoning the use of chemical fertilisers and products. He also draws inspiration from biodynamic practices such as observing the lunar cycles. The vineyard boasts 25 uninterrupted hectares of pebbly terroir and grows wines under the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes du Rhône and vin de pays appellations. Its Vieille Julienne wines are produced in a classical style and have a reputation for excellence with tremendous ageing potential. They are also very expressive, dense and fruity wines and a good reflection of their terroirs and vintages.

The domain's current Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine; its "Vieilles Vignes" product has not been produced since the 2001 vintage. It is made from common varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Counoise and Cinsault, and other rarer ones such as Muscardin and Vaccarèse. The grapes are harvested manually and sorted twice. The first sort is performed in the vineyards themselves; the second, as they arrive in the cellar. Only healthy, ripe grapes are vinified. And as the grapes are healthy, the domain has no intention of spoiling them. They are therefore vinified without external additives such as sulphur or tartaric acid. Fermentations are conducted with native yeasts only. The temperature is regulated during fermentation and élevage is conducted in casks for a period of one year. After a single addition of sulphite, the wines are bottled without fining or filtration. This wine has a dark red colour with purplish hints. The nose is dominated by red berries (especially cherry), with spicy notes too. The palate reveals the same maturity along with a certain freshness, a creamy substance, excellent tannic structure, power but with balance, crunchy fruit flavours and a very long finish with the same aromatic palette as the bouquet.

Consult price estimate for: Vieille Julienne