Le Vieux Donjon

Le Vieux Donjon is a very popular domain for lovers of traditional, high quality Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines at a very reasonable price. This thirteen-hectare estate, on a terroir of rolled pebbles for the most part, is one of the most consistent in the appellation and nothing is by chance, quite the contrary.

The first explanation comes from the fact that the discreet Lucien Michel and now his daughter Claire produce only one red wine (and a micro-cuvée in white), a wine coming from the sectors of the Marine, Mourres de Gaud and Pialon on about fifteen hectares (of which one in white). The Vieux Donjon vineyard is essentially made up of old vines, over 50 years old on average, most of which are Grenache.

The harvest, picked at perfect maturity, thanks in particular to the famous terroir of rolled pebbles which ensures the reflection of heat to the plant during the day, is partially de-stemmed (depending on the vintage) and matured in tuns in the traditional way with indigenous yeasts. Claire, who is gradually taking over from her father (with the support of Philippe Cambie), manages to deliver a faultless vintage after vintage with a very refined and well-balanced Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a real model to follow... The cultivation remains reasoned even if the practices are almost organic.

The Vieux Donjon is still relatively unknown in France because it is not widely distributed, but it is regularly praised by foreign critics, whether it be by Parker, who regularly places it among the very best of the appellation, or by the Wine Spectator, which has already placed it at the top of its Top 100 best wines of the vintage on several occasions.

A star of the appellation still accessible...