It is a tribute cuvée on our most beautiful old vines in AOP Châteauneuf du Pape.
Grapes varieties:
Grenache comes from a plot of hundred-year-old vines on clay-sandy soil located in the vineyard called "La Crau" and since 2017 one plot from "Coudoulet".
Mourvèdres come from the "Cristia" lieu-dit.
Viticulture: Rigorous bud pruning. Furthermore, green harvesting and leaf thinning are done.
The picking is entirely by hand, with sorting in the vineyard and again in the cellar.
Winemaking: Manual harvest and sorting on the estate by vibrating table, destemming and crushing of the grapes.
Vinification of Grenache and Mourvèdre apart.
Maceration lasts about 4 weeks, with gentle extractions to subtly reveal all of its aromas.
Malolactic fermentation in frustoconical wooden vats or half-muids.
Aging: It is made in wooden vats and demi-muids (500 to 600 L oak casks)
SERVICE TIPS: Around 16-18 ° C. If possible, consider decanting the wine
Wild, dark berries, spicy and meaty complexity, plenty of crushed violets and an earthy edge. This is a young, frisky Châteauneuf, backed by old-vine swagger. The palate has an immensely strong core of essence-like, black-fruit flavors, top-quality tannins and superior depth. Drink in 2020.
96 Points – James Suckling – August 2018
Brought up in new demi-muids, the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is a blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Mourvèdre (the Mourvèdre is from the Cristia lieu-dit). Unquestionably the greatest vintage of this cuvée ever made, this crazy good 2016 knocks it out of the park with its huge nose of currants, seaweed, incense, garrigue, and chocolate. Just a massive, deep, powerful wine, with sweet tannin and remarkable purity, it’s going to flirt with perfection and keep for 20-25 years. Bravo to the Maret family as well as consultant Philippe Cambie!
(97-99 Points) – Jeb Dunnuck – August 2018
Turning to the darker side of the fruit spectrum, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes veers toward black cherries, cola and spice. It's full-bodied, rich and velvety, but it takes a different tack than the more open and charming Les Hautes Brusquières bottling. It should drink well for close to two decades. They're the twins you might've fantasized about, one bright and bubbly, the other brooding and mysterious. And you can have both.
(96-98 Points) - Joe Czerwinski – The Wine Advocate – August 2018
Dark, winey and alluring, this delivers an intense beam of fig, boysenberry and blackberry paste flavors, inlaid with licorice snap, singed spice and warm fruitcake notes. The long finish is well-structured, letting the fruit play out against a graphite backdrop. Should age nicely. Best from 2022 through 2037. 250 cases made, 67 cases imported
95 Points - Wine Spectator - November 2019