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Domaine de la Janasse Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2022

Reviews

98 - Decanter -

Full, lush and powerful, with a wall of intense tannin – this is an enormously powerful wine that will take many years to approach a state of drinkability. Huge concentration and huge intensity, in many ways this fits the Châteauneuf archetype of statuesque wines for very long ageing. Be prepared for a long wait, followed by rich rewards. Partly destemmed, fermented in concrete, matured for 12 months in foudres and demi-muids.

96-98 - Robert Parker's Wine Advocate -

Not yet bottled when I visited the estate last summer, volumes of the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes are down by about one-third, as a parcel in La Crau that normally goes into this cuvée was wiped out by hail. Roughly 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 5% Syrah and 5% other permitted varieties, it delivers huge waves of cherry and raspberry fruit. Full-bodied and concentrated, it shows great fruit sweetness throughout, framed by ripe, velvety tannins that finish softly dusty, without impeding the wine's considerable length. Christophe Sabon comes across as very even-keeled, with a philosophical outlook geared toward the vagaries of farming. In 2022, he explained, The places that didn't get hail, benefited from the August rain. Volumes for some cuvées here were off by as much as one-third because of the hail, following a year in which late frosts were widespread, reducing production of some other cuvées. At my summer visit, hopes were high that 2023 would at last provide some volume to work with. Christophe's children are working toward taking on the mantle of the estate in the near future, with a daughter who has done vintages at Man O' War (in New Zealand) and Château Palmer and a son who was working at Miner Family (in Napa Valley).

95-97 - Jeb Dunnuck -

95 - Wine Spectator -

This powerhouse unleashes rich waves of black licorice, cherry paste and spiced plum. Shows impressive texture and energy, with black tea tannins bringing good form to the simmering, opulent palate. Grilled cedar, anise and smoke notes round out the concentrated finish; a hedonist's red for sure, this nonetheless shows real integrity and balance. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2026 through 2040

94 - James Suckling -

Quite an opulent expression of Chateauneuf, with a nose of preserved cherries, spices and bitter chocolate. Powerful and highly structured on the full-bodied palate. The long, bold finish is packed with bitter chocolate, caramel and an array of spices. Excellent aging potential, but already delicious. A cuvee with a majority of grenache plus some syrah and mourvedre. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

93+ - Vinous -

The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is as concentrated and dense as one would expect from this full-throttle cuvee, but this is one instance where I prefer the 2021 vintage over the 2022. Pronounced licorice, red and black cherry, ripe strawberry and garrigue notes are all pushed forward here. The massive tannic core provides ample structure but demands at least until 2030 to integrate into the wine. Although impressively powerful and deeply layered, the 2022 doesn’t strike me as a superstar, at least not on this occasion.

Technical Details

Blend Roughly 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah and 5% other permitted varieties
Winemaker Isabelle and Christophe Sabon
Country France
Region Rhône Valley
Sub Region Southern Rhône
Appellation Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Aging / Cooperage 12 months in old foudres
Alcohol 15.5%

Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2022

Name: Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2022
Brand: First Bottle
SKU: 1011101
Price: 74.95 USD
Availability: InStock

Red Blends | Rhône Valley

DC98, WA96-98, JD95-97, WS95, JS94, VN93+

SPECIAL: Ground shipping included on 3+ bottles!

$135.00

$74.95

750ML

44% OFF RETAIL!

Domaine de la Janasse is back with a spectacularly powerful 98-point 2022 vintage Vieilles Vignes! Nearly 45% off this bold and beautiful CdP, named one of Wine Spectator’s Top 100 wines of 2024! Some of our all-time favorite Châteauneuf-du-Papes have been crafted at this estate, and as ever, this one lives up to all the hype that precedes it.

The legendary Aimé Sabon started the estate in the ‘70s, handing it over to his children – who have continued to impress the critics, other CdP estates, the whole of France, and even jaded wine slingers like us! They farm 90 hectares of the best vineyards, the oldest vines, and the most sensational juice in the land. Beginning in the early 1990s, the next generation took over. Christophe Sabon – Aimé's eldest son – came back from Beaune with degrees in viticulture, oenology, and marketing and was subsequently given control of the cellar. A decade later, his sister, Isabelle, graduated from the University of Toulouse – also with an oenology degree, and joined Chris in the cellar. Together, they have only fortified the Sabon family name – and are without a doubt crafting some of the best wines in the estate’s storied history.

The 2022 season was an admitted challenge for the south of France, though Châteauneuf fared better than any other appellation, and the best estates came out with wines reaping silky tannins, moderate alcohol, and great acidity. Domaine de la Janasse is one of the world’s foremost champions of Grenache, not to mention one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's greatest stars, and the Vieilles Vignes is everything you could hope for in a CdP... It’s big, bold, and deep, with earth-shattering intensity and never-ending complexity.

Roughly 75% Grenache, then 15% Mourvèdre, with 5% Syrah and a smattering of Châteauneuf’s other players – this is an old-vine gem that cannot be overlooked. Waves of cherry and raspberry and creamy licorice and crushed gravel and semisweet chocolate and garrigue and... and... This just goes on and on, with the utmost aging potential, though already drinkable with melty, integrated tannins. Read the myriad glowing reviews below, then grab a bottle or three to set yourself up for rockstar Rhone drinking for the next two decades!

PAIRING IDEAS: Go with a classic and hearty beef stew with a hunk of crusty bread – the ultimate stick-to-your-ribs bowl of goodness to live up to this beastly Châteauneuf-du-Pape!

About The Producer

The estate was founded in 1976 by Aime Sabon, the father of Christophe and Isabelle, who still oversee the vineyards. The property consists of 40 hectares, spread over as many as 70 different parcels throughout the appellation. While Aime works in the vineyards, his children are in charge of wine production. Christophe is a self-proclaimed, great defender of Grenache, which still represents 75% of their vines. With assistance from Aime and Isabelle, he manages the common rusticity of Grenache-based wines through meticulous work in the vineyards and cellar. The result is a wide range of rich and flavorful Chateauneuf-du-Papes, Cotes-du-Rhones and Vins de Pays that are complex and balanced often in contradiction to a region better known for sheer exuberance and power.

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