2016 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape les Trois Sources

The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources is straight-up sensational and isn’t far off the more expensive Reserve cuvée in style and quality. Huge notes of blackcurrants, black raspberries, crushed violets, licorice, and incredible minerality, as well as a smoking floral quality, all soar from the glass of this full-bodied, seamless, pure wine that readers should snatch up. With good acidity, awesome purity, and a great, great finish, it's an incredible wine any way you look at it. Drink it anytime over the coming two decades or more. Vieille Julienne’s Jean-Paul Daumen is unquestionably one of the most talented winemakers in all of France. Since taking over the domaine in 1990, the estate has gone from strength to strength, and the list of truly extraordinary wines from this small terroir located on the northern edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape is mind-boggling. And there are no secrets; Jean-Paul focuses first and foremost on his vineyards, which are all farmed organically and sustainably, minuscule yields, no SO2 during vinification, aging in neutral foudres and tank, and bottling unfined and unfiltered. The result is a naked, raw expression of this magical terroir and old vines. Speaking about the 2016 vintage, Jean-Paul called it an enormous vintage, comparing it to 2001 yet with a style all its own, and commented that the wines were powerful yet also delicate. I can’t disagree, and the Châteauneuf-du-Papes across the board are monumental wines. You don’t have to splurge for the Reserve cuvée either, since the Les Trois Sources and Haut-Lieux releases are both extraordinary wines. I’ve also included the Daumen releases here, which can be thought of as super-negociant wines where Jean-Paul is directly involved with all aspects of the vineyards and winemaking. In short, there are few wines I’d rather have on my table than those from Jean-Paul Daumen!

Brilliant ruby-red. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe, mineral-tinged red berries, candied flowers and incense. Pliant and seamless on the palate, showing impressive density as well as energy to the sweet raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors. The floral note comes back steadily on an impressively persistent, youthfully tannic finish that leaves exotic spice and red fruit preserve notes behind.