2004 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Finely perfumed with a whiff of savoury meatiness and undergrowth. Rather delicate, aromatic mid palate. Elegant and true to its origins. (JH)

The 2004 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape shows a big, fragrant nose of kirsch, Provencal herbs, earth, licorice and sweet incense notes. The palate is medium bodied with beautiful sweet fruit, medium concentration, nice balance and an almost silky texture. This firmed up with some air and showed sweet, fine grained tannins on the finish. This doesn't seem to have the backbone of the top 04s but is almost elegant, subtle and drinking surprisingly well.

The 2004 Chateauneuf du Pape is similar in style to their 1999 but with more power. A cedary, sweet bouquet of herbes de Provence, roasted meats, kirsch liqueur, resiny notes, and perhaps incense as well, jumps from the glass of this medium to full-bodied, fragrant, savory style of wine. Its tannins are present and persistent but sweet and well-integrated. The wine reveals outstanding concentration, purity, and plenty of Provencal typicity. It should drink well for 10-15 years. One of the most traditionally run estates of Chateauneuf du Pape, and consistently producers of excellent wines, Lucien and Marie-Joseph Michel consistently make the best selections in the cellar, and only bottle one Chateauneuf du Pape, resisting the current fashion for producing cuvees of old vines. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173