Wine Advisor
Domaine de la Janasse, Chateauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes 2017
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Description
Tasting notes
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes looks as if it will be a worthy successor to the awesome 2015 and 2016 bottlings. From tank, the Grenache shows lovely cherry-berry fruit, ample weight and richness and a long, silky finish, while the Mourvèdre from a new oak barrel stood up to the wood well, offering more red fruits, less alcohol and hints of toast and baking spices.
Reviewed by: Joe Czerwinski
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.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
Saturated ruby. Displays intensely perfumed, spice-accented black and blue fruit, floral oil and candied licorice qualities on the nose. Offers powerful cherry liqueur, black raspberry, fruitcake and exotic spice flavors that tighten up through the back half. There's surprising energy here given the wine's volume. Velvety tannins frame a strikingly long, spicy finish that strongly echoes the cherry and floral notes.
Reviewed by: Josh Raynolds
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.
Reviewed by: James Suckling
There’s less grenache here in 2017 (60%); the balance is made up of syrah and mourvedre, all from 80 to 100 years of age. The richness and depth here is really impressive, as is the freshness of ripe berries and a dark and quite dense, plum and black-cherry burst at the finish. The palate has a very supple, succulent and juicy feel. Some firmness to the tannins and good drive with a silky edge. Try from 2024.
About the Producer
Founded in 1973 by Aime Sabon, Domaine de la Janasse is particularly young in comparison to the older French wineries. The vineyards were originally owned by Aime Sabon's father, who did not make wine, and the grapes were sold in bulk to wine merchants; in 1967, Aime Sabon retired from the Navy and returned home to take over the vineyards, and in 1973, he built his own cellar, thus creating Domaine de la Janasse. Domaine de la Janasse covers 137.5 acres and has vineyards in several different appellations, including: Chateauneuf du Pape, Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Village. The vines of Domaine de la Janasse are planted on different soils and some are very old, up to 90 years old. The fruit from these old vines is used to produce Janasse Cuvee Vieilles Vinges, the estate's speciality. Domaine de la Janasse produces wines in the new style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines. Since 1993, the winery has been destemming the grapes from the harvest. This practice has continued and to date at least 80% of the berries are destemmed before fermentation. The Grenache is fermented in stainless steel tanks; the Mourvedre and Syrah are fermented in short conical oak barrels. Grenache is matured in large oak barrels; Mourvedre and Syrah are matured in a mixture of new French oak barrels and large oak barrels, which can add a new and trendy style to their wines.
