Domaine de la Janasse - Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes rouge 2020

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

On the finest terroirs in Courthézon, the Domaine de la Janasse, the pride of the Sabon family, has established itself as one of the appellation's benchmarks for over 40 years. Christophe Sabon produces Côtes-du-Rhône wines of the highest level, with rare depth. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines are expressed through different cuvées: chaupin, from a cold terroir with a very Burgundian approach, or the cuvée vieilles-vignes, sunnier and racier. Finally, the whites, in the shadow of the reds, are just as recommendable. The entire range is beyond reproach, and the great vintages are among the appellation's benchmarks.

Decanter

About the wine:

Immediately impressive, densely fruity, with dark blackberry and plum aromas that arouse curiosity. The palate is intense, juicy and fresh. More concentrated than most of this year's wines, but not over-extracted. Perfectly ripe, fleshy and powerful, but without heaviness. Fermented in concrete, aged for 12 months in foudre and demi-muid.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the wine:

Very old 90-year-old vines, including a majority of Grenache and a few older varieties, are at work in this cuvée with a singular, captivating bouquet of humus and ferns, revealing candied strawberry with the toasty notes of a noble woodiness. Spices and licorice, and even a certain wild austerity, come through on the full, fresh, very long palate, with consistent, tightly-knit tannins, guaranteeing an excellent future in the cellar.

About the domain :

A regular in the Guide, often featured prominently for its Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes-du-Rhône and IGP wines. Christophe Sabon and his sister Isabelle, children of Aimé Sabon, who founded the estate in 1973, manage a 90-hectare vineyard scattered over many parcels. The estate was completed in 2015 with the purchase of Clos Saint-Antonin and its 15 ha of vines in the Jonquières commune.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Not as rich or concentrated as I'd expected, the Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes 2020 still offers generous waves of black fruit, notes of cola, mint and spice. It's full-bodied, silky and long, ...

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the wine:

A palette of beautiful aromas, spices, maquis and tapenade. A wine that retains a classic expression of spice. The palate confirms this combination of substance, concentration and consistency. The framework of tannin tightens the mouth, and the whole is built for ageing.

About the domain :

This great estate, which has belonged to the Sabon family for generations, is one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape's elite. Most of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vines are located in the commune of Courthézon, with the parcels and soils of the various cuvées being fragmented. The domaine also produces some splendid Côtes-du-Rhône cuvées (important in terms of volume), from vines adjacent to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. With often very high maturities, the wines are opulent in style, sometimes a little too warm in sunny vintages. On the other hand, the tannins and textures are always of great finesse. In recent vintages, the wines have become less rich and slightly more digestible.

Wine Spectator

Jancis Robinson

Vinous A. Galloni

About the wine:

The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2020 reveals seductive aromas of strawberry compote, crème de cassis, licorice, garrigue and hints of peppermint. Full-bodied, elegant and framed by velvety tannins, it is well-balanced by fresh acidity and ends with a persistent finish.

James Suckling

Jeb Dunnuck