2014 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de la Janasse, Rhône

2014 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de la Janasse, Rhône

Product: 20148024426
Prices start from £250.00 per case Buying options
2014 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de la Janasse, Rhône

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Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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6 x 75cl bottle
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Description

This is part of our January 2023 sale. The price shown above includes a saving of 10%. Prices valid till January 24th and applies to 75cl bottles only and excludes BBX listings.

Their vielles vignes cuvée comes from six hectares of the property’s oldest vines, 40% of which date back to 1920, while others are from 1965. The red clay soils are strewn with large pebbles (galets roulés), which help retain heat and aid ripening – useful in cooler years such as 2014. As always, this is predominantly Grenache (80%) though at 15% this contains a higher proportion of Mourvèdre than sometimes, which brings additional structure.

The nose is vibrant and aromatic, with distinct herbal notes of thyme, bay leaf and raspberry leaf, while layers of creamed raspberries, wild strawberries, and blueberries adorn the palate. Pure, elegant, and poised, with a core of rocky minerality and hint of allspice, it is still extraordinarily fresh despite its 8 years of age. This is in its prime drinking window now, though could age for another 5-10 years easily, as the tertiary notes of tar and leather so typical of aged Châteauneuf are only just beginning to show.

Drink now - 2030+

Georgina Haacke, Wine Buyer, Berry Bros. & Rudd (January 2022)

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate92/100

A step up, with additional richness and depth, the 2014 Chteauneuf du Pape Cuvee Vieilles Vignes includes more Mourvdre than normal, as Christophe wanted to add additional structure. It offers classic notes of black currants, kirsch, licorice and cured meats in a medium to full-bodied, nicely concentrated style. Possessing ripe tannin, a silky, elegant style and outstanding length, it too is ideal for drinking anytime over the coming decade.

Jeb Dunnuck, Wine Advocate (October 2016)

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Wine Spectator93/100

Cherry paste and raspberry coulis flavors form the core, framed by pleasantly singed sandalwood notes. The finish picks up light tea and lavender accents. Not dense but has freshness and poise.

Drink now - 2024

James Molesworth, winespectator.com (October 2016)

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Decanter93/100

Vieilles Vignes means just that, the majority of the fruit from vines planted in 1920 and 1965. Pale red hue with a hint of evolution. The wine is busy and fresh on the nose with menthol-eucalyptus moving to herbal notes and a dash of cassis. The palate is ripe but perfectly pitched with mellow tannins, a stony, vinous edge and complexity as it unfolds.

Drink 2020 - 2030

James Lawther MW, Decanter.com (February 2020)

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Vinous93-95/100

Bright ruby. Intensely perfumed aromas of fresh red and blue fruits, potpourri and incense gain vivacity from a smoky mineral nuance. Offers deeply concentrated blueberry, black raspberry, spicecake and floral pastille flavors, while suggestions of candied licorice and white pepper emerge on the back half. Finishes on a suave, alluringly sweet note of red fruit liqueur, featuring slowly emerging tannins and outstanding vivacity and focus.

Josh Raynolds, vinous.com (February 2016)

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About this WINE

Domaine de la Janasse

Domaine de la Janasse

Brother-and-sister team Christophe and Isabelle Sabon continue to work wonders at Janasse – a domaine founded by their father, Aimé Sabon, in 1973. They now farm around 90 hectares, 18 of which are in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. These are dotted across numerous plots in the northeast of the appellation, in the commune of Courthézon, where the soils are more sandy and therefore much cooler. They also have a few parcels on the famous, clay soil plateau of La Crau. The grapes are largely de-stemmed; concrete tanks are used for the Grenache and old oak for the Syrah and Mourvèdre. In other words, everything is fairly traditional. While they have been farming largely in accordance with organic principles for years, they are now undergoing full conversion to organic and expect to gain certification in 2024.

The domaine sadly suffered terribly from frost in 2021, reducing their output by 45% (and up to 80% for their Vin de Pays wines) – it is the siblings’ smallest vintage yet. They are however pleased with the quality, and they highlight its concentration and freshness.

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The most celebrated village of the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the birthplace of the now indispensable French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system – imperfect though it may be. Compared to the Northern Rhône, the vineyards here are relatively flat and often feature the iconic galet pebbles – the precise benefits of which are a source of much debate. Minimum alcohol levels required by the AOC are the highest in France, but at 12.5% it is well below the natural generosity of Grenache, which only achieves its full aromatic potential when it is fully ripe and laden with the resultant high sugars. Syrah and Mourvèdre contribute the other defining elements in the blend, adding pepper, savoury spice and structure to the decadent Grenache. There are a further 10 permitted red grape varieties which can be used to adjust the “seasoning”. Of the five white varieties permitted, it is Grenache Noir’s sibling – predictably perhaps – Grenache Blanc, which dominates, though Roussanne shows a great deal of promise when handled well, notably at Château de Beaucastel.

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Southern Rhône Blend

Southern Rhône Blend

The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.

The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.

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