February 26, 2024 - The nose began with the smell of cooking bacon, black olive and garrigue. The palate was decidedly black fruit driven with blackberry and black raspberry tones present. There was a lively acidity and pleasant tannic structure. With time an element of forest undergrowth developed, almost Burgundian in nature. Add in some dried fine herbs of Provence, and this is one delightful bottle of wine. I would say that the non grenache varietals play on outsized role in the character of this wine. According to K&L’s write up, it has 10% of syrah, 10% mouvedre, and 5% cinsault. I think it is ready, and no decay was noted. The rim is certainly lightening.
Doing some more research on this wine, I found an opinion from J. Livingstone-Learmonth regarding 2014 vintage. He found the wines reminiscent of CNdP’s from the 1960’s. Having cut my wine teeth on wines of these vintages and of the 1970’s, I surely agree. This wine is agile and complex, not overpowering, heavily extracted or ponderous. He noted his disapproval of the direction of these wines in the 1990’s and 2000’s. I agree again.
August 24, 2023 - Pnp. Light-medium blood-garnet in colour. Nose of dark red cherries, figs, kirsch, and some garrigue. On the palate, there are juicy red berry fruits with a touch of white peppers and provencal herbs. Medium bodied with a medium finish. Served with bacon wrapped pork loin. Last tasted December 2020.
June 17, 2023 - Was greeted soon after opening with forward fruit, quite fruit forward but not in an extravagant or new world kind of way. With more air fruit and secondary characteristics got more and more layered, as if it was challenging you to identify the fruit profiles of different varieties, but dominated by Grenache and some deeper Mourvèdre backing it up. Then after an hour lots of savory garrigue/herbes and a hint of earth showed up. Complex and pleasurable. One of my most satisfying vintages of VD. Outstanding, 4 (out of 5) with the potential to go up I think.
October 20, 2022 - Very Burgundian on pop and pour. Wonderfully silky red fruits, lighter and more elegant style of CDP. Unfortunately became more purple fruited and plummy with air but the first half an hour was glorious.
October 12, 2022 - I had difficulty coming up with tasting notes for this one until I read some of the other notes. I think it’s best described as “meh”, you could go with 🤷♂️, it’s not a bad wine but ….
August 15, 2022 - Hoping I just got a bad couple of bottles but opened up my second bottle and this was simply undrinkable.
July 27, 2022 - Good but not intense. Maybe past it’s prime.
April 29, 2022 - One can tell that the drinking window is beginning to close. Still very tasty but it is developing a sourness that I had not had noticed with earlier bottles. This wine is true to itself as a typically made Donjon. 2014 was certainly not a banner year, but one cannot argue that this particular offering from Donjon, while a bit light, is packed with classic CDP notes on the nose and palate. DAY TWO: I found it interesting that I gave this a point less yesterday from what I had in earlier bottles. Perhaps that was due to the drinking window closing. Sadly, on day two, this wine just did not hold up well at all. It was corked overnight and simply did not hold up as one would expect. Drinkable? Yes. But not very good. Drink up, boys and girls. DAY THREE: As an experiment, I decided to leave one class to taste today, on day three. I'm shocked to report that it is quite spectacular. Everything which one should expect. My head is spinning. If you have the 2014, I hope this write up helps. Cheers.
October 23, 2021 - One half of a bottle courtesy of Corivan. As I have written in the past, a little lighter than most, but just is delicious.
September 13, 2021 - very light and elegant CDP. drink over the next 1-2 years