Domaine de la Vieille Julienne “Les Hauts-Lieux” Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2017.
Wine Name: Domaine de la Vieille Julienne “Les Hauts Lieux”
Appellation: AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Rhône Valley
Vintage: 2017
Grape Varieties: 60–70% Grenache (vines planted 1920s–1948), 15–30% Mourvèdre, 5–7% Counoise, 5–7% Cinsault
Alcohol Content: 15.5% ABV
Farming: Certified biodynamic
Production: 6,000 bottles
Terroir:
Sourced exclusively from the domaine’s three highest north-facing terraces, officially located in Cabrières and Maucoil. Soils are a mosaic of pink clay, quartz, limestone, and galet stones—cool, late-ripening sites where ripe tannins are rare and precious. This exceptional terroir imparts freshness and energy to the powerful fruit core.
Vinification:
All grapes are destemmed and fermented in concrete vats over a three-week period. Fermentation begins with 1–2 pump-overs daily, reducing to every other day, along with manual cap punching in 50 hl open vats. Malolactic fermentation occurs in large 25–55 hl oak barrels, where the wine is aged for 12 months, followed by a 3-month settling period in concrete. Unfined, unfiltered.
Tasting Note:
A brooding, deeply coloured wine, Les Hauts Lieux 2017 is a masterfully structured Châteauneuf-du-Pape with a soulful Grenache heart. The nose is richly composed: cooked damson plum, mulberry jam, raspberry liqueur, and the warmth of sun-drenched terraces, layered with floral hints and dry herbs.
The palate is full and grounded, delivering profound depth without excess weight. A steady, flowing rhythm of dark fruit, garrigue, and crushed rock leads to a powerful close, where thrusting tannins, notes of menthol and ink, and persistent minerality anchor the wine. A slow-burning, enveloped red with superb structure, it is both meditative and monumental.
Drink Window: Now to 2045
Pairing Suggestions: Braised hare with rosemary, grilled lamb with herbes de Provence, or truffled lentils. Or preferably all three!
