Domaine De La Janasse Chateauneuf Du Pape 'Vieilles Vignes 2017
SKU
DJCN201711 UCAU
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65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% other.
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Over 33% of the estates vines are over 100 years old
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A beautifully traditional expression of Chateauneuf du Pape
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1 or more bottles$250.00
Editors notes
This wonderful estate is run by brother-sister team of Christophe and Isabelle Sabon, though their father (who celebrates his 50th vintage with this 2016 harvest) lends his ample experience.
65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% other. Years of plantation : 40% 1920, 40% 1965, 10% 1976, 10% 1993.
This cuvée comes from four parcels located on different terroirs which complement each other in the blend (rolled pebbles which bring fatness and power; sands for freshness and acidity; red clay covered with rolled pebbles which brings structure and body; and finally a sandy-limestone hillside which gives finesse).
The estate's flagship cuvée, always at the top of international rankings. The robe is dark with purple reflections. On the nose, the still discreet aromas of crushed black fruits and garrigue are just waiting to melt into a noble and fresh substance, to reveal finesse and elegance on the palate.
Details
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Wine Type
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Vintage
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Variety
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Brand
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Location
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Cellaring
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Closure
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Alcohol Percentage
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Oak Type
Tasting Profile
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Light (Light)Full (Full)
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Low Tannin (Low Tannin)Tannic (Tannic)
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Sweet (Sweet)Dry (Dry)
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Low Acidity (Low Acidity)High Acidity (High Acidity)
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Aroma
- Red Fruits
- Redcurrant
- Smoky
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Palate
- Earthy
- Jammy
- Red Fruits
Food Pairings
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Game -
Pork -
Red Meat
Critic Scores & reviews
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The Wine Advocate
97"The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes derives from parcels planted on classic clay and galets roulés soils. It's 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah and 5% other varieties. Tight, intense, even clenched, it's in need of several years' cellaring before it becomes truly enjoyable to drink. For now, those gorgeous black cherries are restrained behind a firm wall of tannins. Full-bodied and rich, this is ripe, it just requires patience."
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Gary Walsh
96"Dark cherry and blackcurrant, apricot and white flower perfume, exotic spice, grilled meat, dark chocolate; all the things. It’s concentrated, chocolate cake and dark cherry, a sweep of ripe sooty tannin, meaty and fragrant, panforte richness and dash of chilli spice, and a super long finish of intensity and lingering tannic grip. It’s quite a thing."
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Wine Spectator
94"Ripe and fresh, with an engaging beam of cassis, dark plum and boysenberry puree flavors, supported by light anise, graphite and sweet tobacco notes. Shows good juicy energy and a seriously long finish. Drink now through 2035. 504 cases imported. — JM"
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Vinous
93-95"Dark violet. Expansive dark berry liqueur, cherry pie, licorice candy and potpourri aromas are complemented by an exotic flourish of Moroccan spices. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering deeply concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors, along with sweetening cola and floral pastille nuances. Slowly firms up with air and finishes with outstanding clarity, suave, even tannins and excellent, floral-driven persistence."
Other vintages
Love this wine? Here's a list of other vintages we have in stock if you'd like to try them as well.
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- Variety Grenache Blend
- Vintage 2016
- Brand Domaine de la Janasse
- Cellaring 5-10 Years
- Wine Type Red
- Alcohol Percentage 14.0% Alcohol
Domaine De La Janasse Chateauneuf Du Pape 2016-
The Wine Advoca93 points
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Vinous93 points
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Wine Spectator93 points
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Gary Walsh94 points
$125.00
Current auction
All current auctions for this wine & any different vintages.
Locations
France
Wine is being produced throughout France and has been done for over 2,500 years with certain Châteaux dating their history back to Roman times, around 6th Century BC. Ranking second in the world in per-capita consumption and first in total production quantity. More so than the overall quantity of wine is the quantity of truly great wines coming out of France makes the nation the envy of wine-making nations worldwide.
Two concepts pivotal to the higher end French wines, in particular, are the idea of 'terroir' and the Appellation d'Origine Contrôlée (AOC) system. Terroir refers to the way the geography, geology and climate find their way into the glass, telling a story of the origin of the wine. The AOC was set up in 1935 and has the primary goal of protecting the authenticity of the wines and the livelihoods of the producers. Appellation rules strictly define which varieties of grapes and winemaking practices are approved for classification in each of France's several hundred geographically defined appellations, which can cover entire regions, individual villages or in some cases, like in Burgundy even specific vineyards.
Classic wine regions in France include Champagne (home of Champagne), Burgundy (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay), Bordeaux (Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot), Alsace (Aromatic varietals), Loire Valley (Chenin Blanc, Crémant) and the Rhône Valley (Syrah, Grenache Mourvedre)
The Bordeaux classification of 1855 is still in use, as is the Sauternes and Barsac Classification of the same year. Wines from certain regions can be bought En Primeur, which is when the wine is sold prior to it being bottled.
Rhone Valley
The Rhône Valley is in the South of France and is situated in the Rhône river valley. The region has been growing wines for centuries and is generally split into two sub-regions. In the Northern Rhône, Syrah is the predominant grape variety, though it is often blended with other white varieties like Marsanne, Rousanne and Viognier, or the red grape Mourvedre. In the Southern Rhône, a wide range of white, red and rosés are produced alongside the undisputed king of the Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The Northern Rhône is cooler than the Southern Rhône and has a continental climate with warm summers and cold winter. The appellations from North to South are Côte-Rôtie, Condrieu, Château-Grillet, Saint-Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, Hermitage, Cornas and Saint-Péray.
In Southern Rhône, the climate is more Mediterranean, with mild winters and hot summers. Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous appellation but others include Côtes du Rhône, Gigondas and Lirac. Large pebbles are used in the region, placed at the base of the vines to absorb the suns heat during the day, to keep the vines warm at night.
Châteauneuf-du-Papes are blended from the 13 permitted grape varieties, though Grenache usually dominates, supported by Syrah and Mourvèdre. These wines can be supremely rich and complex and typically warrant 5-10 years in the cellar for best results.
Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the largest AOC in the Southern Rhone and the oldest AOC in France is an historic village between Orange and Avignon in the southern Rhone Valley. It is renowned for producing gloriously rich red wines, reminiscent of the heat and herbs of the south.
Vineyards are typified by the large round 'galet' stones which assist in reflecting sun onto the untrained bush vines. The climate in CNDP is the driest of all Rhone appellations, a Mediterranean climate in which the dryness is accentuated by the wineries not being permitted (in all but extreme conditions) to irrigate their vines.
The wines have a depth of complexity which comes from blending several of the 14 permitted grape varieties. The varieties are: Grenache, Mouvedre, Syrah, Cinsault, Vaccarese, Counoise, Teret Noir, Muscadin, Picpoul Noir, Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Rousanne, Picpoul Gris and Picardin. With red Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Grenache is generally the dominant varietal with Syrah and Mourvèdre in support. The white wines in the region are made from Grenache Blanc, Clairette, Roussanne, Bourboulenc and Picardin and represent barely a tenth of total production.
About the brand Domaine de la Janasse
In 1967, Aimé Sabon came back from his military service. He took over his father’s vines, who used to take his grapes to the wine cooperative. In 1973, Aimé built his own cellar. Domaine de la Janasse was born and named after the family farm that was in Courthézon, in the locality of “La Janasse”. Aimé was ambitious. He knew he had fabulous soil and he wanted to expand the estate by acquiring new plots. From 15 hectares at the very beginning, La Janasse has now reached more than 90 hectares.
In 1991, after a technical diploma in viticulture and oenology in Beaune, and another one in marketing in Mâcon, Christophe Sabon –Aimé’s eldest son– came back to La Janasse where he was given the keys to the cellar. From then different cuvees were developed, new markets conquered. In 2001, Isabelle –Aimé’s daughter– graduated as an oenologist from the University of Toulouse, and joined the team. With Hélène, Aimé’s wife, the family was reunited again in La Janasse.
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