2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes
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Tasting notes
Opaque ruby. Highly perfumed bouquet of ripe dark berries, potpourri and sandalwood, with a mineral note adding vibrancy. Round and seamless on the palate, offering sweet black raspberry and boysenberry flavors and a strong jolt of candied rose. Quite suave and approachable, finising with solid punch, gentle tannins and lingering spiciness.
Critic scores
Jancis Robinson MW
Josh Raynolds
More reviews and scores
The 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is in the top 2-3 wines in the vintage. Possessing rock-star concentration and depth, full-bodied richness and loads of sweet tannin, it offers layers of ripe blackberry, graphite, licorice and toasted-spice aromas and flavors. One of the more powerful and structured efforts in the vintage, it nevertheless always stays balanced, graceful and light on the palate. Give it 2-3 years and enjoy bottles through 2027.
Inky ruby. Strongly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe blackberry, blueberry, violet and smoky oak. Seamless and sweet, offering plush dark berry compote flavors and an exotic floral pastille quality. Becomes spicier with air and finishes long and gently tannic, with clinging sweetness and a hint of licorice.
50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 20% Syrah. Masculine and savoury. Serious stuff that is ultimately very satisfying. Lots of density up front and then real energy on the finish. Deep and concentrated. Tannins built in here nicely. Very appealing. (JR)