Domaine de La Janasse CdP Vieilles Vignes 2020 (1.5L)

97+ JD / 95-98 WA / 96 DE / 95 WS

Much more powerful and closed, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Vieilles Vignes comes more from the La Crau and La Janasse lieux-dits and is the usual blend of mostly Grenache with a touch of Syrah. Blackberries, graphite, scorched earth, pepper, and sappy garrigue all emerge on the nose, and it's full-bodied, has beautiful concentration, polished tannins, and a great finish. Nothing is out of place, and this perfectly balanced, authoritative, powerful, and incredibly impressive 2020 will benefit from 3-4 years of bottle age and evolve for 15-20 years in cold cellars. - Jeb Dunnuck

Not as rich or concentrated as I was expecting, the 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes still delivers ample layers of dark fruit, hints of cola, mint and spice elements. It's full-bodied, silky and long, but it looks to fall short of the quality heights reached by some other recent vintages. - Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate

Immediately impressive, densely fruited, with dark brooding blackberry and plum which make you sit up and take notice. It follows through onto the palate which is intense, juicy and fresh, this has more concentration than most this year, but without over extraction. Perfectly ripe, chunky and powerful, but not heavy. Fermented in concrete, matured for 12 months in foudre and demi-muid. - Matt Walls, Decanter

This is brimming with dark cherry, blackberry and boysenberry compote flavors that spill forth, laced with generous licorice snap, tar, graphite and black tea notes. A nice tug of iron appears very late on the finish, as the fruit lingers on. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. Best from 2024 through 2040. 1,500 cases made, 392 cases imported. - JM, Wine Spectator