CDP Les Hauts Lieux, Domaine de la Vieille Julienne 2020

The 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux comes from a cooler, higher elevation parcel and also includes slightly more Mourvedre, both of which give this cuvée a more firm, structured profile, especially in its youth. Awesome red, blue, and black fruits as well as black licorice, liquid violet, and peppery garrigue define the bouquet, and it's full-bodied, with a great mid-palate, ripe tannins, and a salty, almost bloody character on the finish. It shows the more charming nature of the 2020 vintage yet still deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and will have over two decades of longevity. (Drink between 2026-2048)

In a vintage like 2020, the Cabrières terroir, located in the northern part of the appellation and benefiting from shade during the hottest part of the day, proved to be a real asset, as showcased by the 2020 Les Hauts-Lieux. Evoking a deep, complex bouquet of dark cherries, licorice, iris and flowers, this wine is full-bodied, lively and vibrant, with a tense, crystalline texture and a fleshy, dense mid-palate perfectly framed by ripe, velvety and structured tannins. With its gastronomic bitterness and acidity, it has the potential to age gracefully over the next decade or more. Drink Date: 2024 - 2054