Domaine de la Janasse OLD VINE "Vieilles Vignes" Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône, France, 2022

Overview of the Wine
Domaine de la Janasse has quickly become one of the Superstar estates of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Led by the dynamic Christophe Sabon, the estate combines the best of both traditional and modern techniques to craft a collection of truly riveting wines from “simple” value-priced VDP’s to benchmark Chateauneufs.

The estate was founded in 1976 by Aimé Sabon, Christophe’s father, who still oversees the vineyards and farms organically. The property consists of 40 Hectares, spread over as many as 70 different parcels throughout the appellation.

While Aime works in the vineyards, his son, Christophe Sabon, is in charge of wine production. Christophe is a self-proclaimed “great defender of Grenache,” which still represents 75% of their vines. He manages the common rusticity of Grenache-based wines through meticulous work in the vineyards and cellar. The result is a wide range of lavishly ripe, extracted Chateauneuf-du-Papes and Cotes-du-Rhônes that are complex and yet balanced with acidity -- often in contradiction to an appellation better known for sheer exuberance and power. As Robert Parker points out: “The young and talented Christophe Sabon continues to display the sure-handed touch of a veteran winemaker”.

Sustainable.

Grape / Blend
65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Syrah, 5% divers

Origin
Rhône, France

Winemaker's Tasting Notes
The estate's flagship cuvée, always at the top of international rankings. The robe is dark with purple reflections. On the nose, the still discreet aromas of crushed black fruits and garrigue are just waiting to melt into a noble and fresh substance, to reveal finesse and elegance on the palate.

98 Points - 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 Points - 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
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.

94 Points - 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.

Product size: 750ml