Farr Vintners Logo

CDP Le Vieux Donjon, Le Vieux Donjon (Lucien Michel) 2020

Tasting Notes

The 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is another winner from this team, and readers can’t go wrong here. Based on 75% Grenache, 10% each of Syrah and Mourvedre, with the balance Cinsault, it was partially destemmed and brought up all in foudre. This beauty just about jumps out of the glass with its Provençal aromatics of ripe cherries, ground pepper, saddle leather, garrigue, and spice. These carry to a medium to full-bodied wine that has the vintage’s charming, pure character front and center, yet still brings good mid-palate density and ripe tannins. Buy a case, count yourself lucky, and enjoy bottles any time over the coming 10-15 years.

95
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, November 2022

Vieux Donjon's 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape is a balanced, harmonious effort that offers up pretty aromas of strawberries, raspberries and cherries, accented by hints of crushed stone and dusty earth. It's full-bodied and supple, with a long, silky-textured finish. Richer and riper than the 2021, it shows great harmony and texture. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes.

94
Joe Czerwinski, Wine Advocate, September 2023

From an estate that seems to have hit another level over the past 5-7 years or so, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape reveals a deeper plum/purple color as well as charming, complex aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, mulberries, peppery garrigue, flowers, and orange blossom. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it shows the more charming, mid-weight style of the vintage, has silky tannins, wonderful overall balance, and outstanding length. It's not going to match the top vintages from this estate, but it's going to put a smile on your face any time over the coming 15 years or so.

92/94
Jeb Dunnuck, JebDunnuck.com, November 2021
Please note that these tasting notes/scores are not intended to be exhaustive and in some cases they may not be the most recently published figures. However, we always do our best to add latest scores and reviews when these come to our attention. We advise customers who wish to purchase wines based simply on critical reviews to carry out further research into the latest reports.

Back to Wine List