2018 Chateauneuf du Pape les Haut Lieux

Including slightly more Mourvèdre and from a cooler, higher elevation terroir, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux has more cassis, game, peppery herbs, and olive notes, as well as the classic violets and black licorice nuances that always seem to be present in the wines from this estate. Possessing full-bodied richness, an ethereal, seamless texture, ultra-fine tannins, and nicely integrated acidity, it’s a more structured wine compared to the Les Trois Sources and will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and evolve for 15 years or more. It’s every bit as good as the Reserve cuvée in 2018. While 2018 seemed to favor those with more clay soil, you’d never know that from tasting the wines from Jean-Paul Daumen, and his 2018s are unquestionably some of the finest in the vintage. The shocker was how well the Les Hauts-Lieux performed, and it’s a heavenly bottle of wine that’s every bit as good as the Reserve, although it shows a more mineral-laced, masculine style. As I’ve written in the past, there are few wines I’d rather drink than those of Vieille Julienne.

Tank sample. Denser and more baked than their Trois Sources, with thick texture and an inky, leathery note on the finish. Ultra-fine tannic feel, very polished and plush, and with crisp edges. Long savoury finish, and the tannin sticks around for a long while. Great concentration on the finish. (RH)