2014 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Community Tasting Notes (61) Avg Score: 90.7 points

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  2/26/2024 - Beaunedoc Likes this wine: 95 Points

  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.

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  8/24/2023 - AMC Eagle wrote: 92 Points

  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.

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  6/17/2023 - NMSteve Likes this wine:

  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.

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  10/20/2022 - melvinyeowq wrote: 90 Points

  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.

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  10/12/2022 - DSaenz wrote: 87 Points

  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 ….

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