Domaine de la Janasse - Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2022 (750ml)
Price: $122.00
#79 Wine Spectator Top 100 of 2024
| Producer | Domaine de la Janasse |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Subregion | Chateauneuf du Pape |
| Varietal | Rhone Blend |
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Sku | 9280 |
| Size | 750ml |
Aime Sabon established this estate in 1973 when he took over from his father who had spent a lot of time and effort improving fruit quality but always sold the fruit to the local co-operative. The operation of the estate is now in the hands of Aime’s children, Christophe and Isabelle.
Grapes are 50-80% destemmed. The Grenache gets a short 3-day cold soak then undergoes a lengthy fermentation with daily punch downs before being aged in large foudre to have a slower micro-oxidation. The Syrah and Mourvedre, in contrast, are aged in smaller barrels to allow for more interaction with oxygen so as to mitigate the more tannic structure of these grape varietals. There is only a small portion of new wood. After 12-14 months the wine is blended and, after a further period in tank, is bottled the following spring.
In addition to the regular bottling - called Tradition – there is a Cuvee Chaupin, which comes from seven hectares of old vine Grenache aged in foudres and demi-muids, and a Vielles Vignes bottling from six hectares of old vine plantings of all three grape types located in different terroirs so as to complement each other – galets giving breadth and power, sand providing aromatics and fresh acidity, stony red clay providing structure and sandy limestone contributing finesse.
Domaine de la Janasse is an exceptional estate, blessed with a lot of old vines.
Decanter: 98 Points
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. (Drink between 2034-2047)
Wine Advocate: 96-98 Points
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). Published: May 16 2024
Wine Spectator: 95 Points
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. 3333 cases made 504 cases imported.
Jeb Dunnuck: 95 Points
Due to the devastating storm on the La Crau plateau just before harvest the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes comes from the La Janasse Terra Blanche (pebbly portion) and Barnouine lieux-dits and doesn't include the parcel from La Crau that normally makes up the backbone of this cuvée. As such it's a much more supple elegant expression of this cuvée offering ripe red and black fruits crushed stone flowers and Provençal garrigue. With medium to full-bodied richness it's beautifully balanced has fine yet certainly building tannins and outstanding length. Regardless of the modified blend this is still a gorgeous wine and given the unique nature of it it?s little bit of a unicorn. It will have 15 years of prime drinking. Lastly the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieille Vignes is easily the most powerful in the lineup and has a rock star nose of ripe black cherries melted licorice spring flowers and gravelly earth. It's rich full-bodied has ripe integrated tannins and a great finish.
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