Community Tasting Note

• kanjimoti wrote: 93 points

  November 26, 2014 - The '01 Vieux Donjon is singing on this day. I planned to decant but right out of the bottle the wine is so balanced and beautiful with perfectly ripe dark red fruit, soil, a smoky, creosote character that reminds me of a fine Scotch, and an overall sense this is in a perfect place right now. I'm tasting the '01 a week after immensely enjoying the '00. Based on the two bottles I tasted I'll say the '01 is the better wine; it's more balanced and more complex. Upon opening, smelling, and tasting I immediately went online to see who has more; the least expensive I could find is $65 in San Carlos, Ca. If you have that kind of money for a bottle of Chateauneuf I would instead spend a bit more for the Beaucastel, a wine experience that will move you more deeply. Anyway, on the palate the Donjon is so pleasing with just the right amount of grip left on the tannins alongside that creosote and beautiful fruit. The finish is rustic, gritty, and invigorating. There's a lot of sediment here so I have a feeling Domaine Vieux Donjon does not filter their juice. I love it. This is in such a good place right now I would hate for anyone to miss this experience so I'll suggest drinking by winter 2016 but it should sail nicely into 2018. An afternote on the Beaucastel; I'm all for the '01 Donjon and if you can afford both do it but if there's only room financially for one then do the Beaucastel. Two days after we were told Panda is going to Boston. I'm sad but it's time for a change for everybody. Change keeps us on our toes and is the nature of life.

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