Domaine de Villeneuve Châteneauf du Pape Les Vieilles Vignes 2022

Domaine de Villeneuve is an 8.5 hectare estate north of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape denomination in the southern Rhône, owned by the Wallut family since 1993 and farmed by biodynamic principles. This Vieilles Vignes bottling comes from old vines on the property's diverse, top-quality soils, which include the famous rolled galets, sand and clay. Those stones absorb heat through the day and radiate it back at night, driving the Grenache-led blend to full ripeness, which shows in the 15 per cent alcohol. The blend joins Grenache with Mourvèdre, Syrah, Clairette and Cinsault, each grape adding fruit, structure, colour or lift. Ageing runs to 24 months in concrete vats, a neutral material that allows the wine to settle and round its tannins while keeping the pure fruit and stony, herbal character of the site rather than adding oak. The wine is deep and dark. The nose shows ripe plum and red berry over black pepper, liquorice, dried herb and a touch of leather. The palate is full and warm, with rounded tannin, concentrated fruit and a long, savoury, spiced finish marked by garrigue. Serve at 17 to 18 degrees and decant. It suits roast lamb, beef and game.