Le Vieux Donjon Rouge 2022 150cl

Le Vieux Donjon, in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, has been in the Michel family for generations, although wine growing is not the house's main activity; the family also produces barrels! In the late 1970s, winemaker Lucien Michel married agricultural engineer Marie-José Michel and from then on things moved quickly, very quickly; the estate was expanded to 13 hectares, the quality improved visibly, the wines were no longer sold in bulk and export markets were tapped. In 2008, daughter Claire joined the father in the cellar and a few years later, brother François joined them. In 2013, Lucien & Marie-José retired, knowing that the estate was in safe hands. And that's an understatement. Forget extraction and in-your-face wines, this is Châteauneuf at its finest. How do they do it? Rigorous work in the vineyard, timely but ripe harvesting, vinification on concrete, no added yeasts & use of wood in a very delicate way. And, well, the plots. Because what do you think of terroirs in Pied Long, Cabrières, Rayas, Cristia, Pied de Baud, Bois de Boursan, Le Mourre de Gaud, etc. Each and every one of them climats that appeal to the imagination! Today, Le Vieux Donjon is undeniably one of the most elegant & regular wines of the entire AOC, in white and red. And all that beauty at damn sharp prices too, life can be good. Awarded *** in Revue du Vin de France 2023.