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: 2006 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

2006 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

SKU #1040490 94 points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

Outer quote mark The 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is forward and ready to go, with plenty of kirsch, blackberry, garrigue and cured meat aromas and flavors all emerging from the glass. Full-bodied and nicely concentrated, it’s a classic, elegant and complex red that can be enjoyed anytime over the coming decade or longer. As is common with a lot of 2006s, it has a traditional feel, yet offers solid fruit and texture. (JD) Inner quote mark (8/2014)

93 points Jeb Dunnuck

Outer quote mark Developing beautifully, the 2006 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape shows complex, textbook aromatics as well as a medium bodied, balanced, elegant palate and long finish. Textbook and classically styled. Inner quote mark (8/2010)

93 points Wine Spectator

Outer quote mark Slightly firm, with juniper, sage and sandalwood hints framing dark plum, currant, coffee and mineral notes. The grippy finish has a cedar note in the background, with hints of black tea and tar. A gutsy style, with fresh acidity in reserve. (JM) Inner quote mark (11/2008)

92 points Vinous

Outer quote mark Ruby-red. Intensely perfumed aromas of Asian spices, garrigue, red berries, smoke and minerals. This elegant wine calls to mind pinot noir in its weight and texture. Sweet, palate-staining raspberry and cherry flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity. Very pure and seductive wine with no gamey qualities and a long, sweet finish. (JR) Inner quote mark (1/2009)

K&L Notes

Jeb Dunnuck writes for Wine Advocate: "Another bastillion of traditional Chateauneuf du Pape, Vieux Donjon is owned by Lucien and Marie Jose Michel, with the winemaking now firmly in the hands of their talented daughter, Claire Michel. They produce a single red and white Chateauneuf du Pape, with the red always a rough blend of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre and the balance a mix of other permitted varieties. They started partial destemming in 1993, pulling out the green stems and keeping the more lignified stems. Aging occurs all in concrete tanks and older foudre. This was a fabulous tasting with both Claire and her brother Francois, and as I hope the notes show, the wines have classic Chateauneuf du Pape character and broad drink windows." (08/2014)

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2006 Le Vieux Donjon Châteauneuf-du-Pape

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Product Reviews:

By: Leah Greenstein | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/25/2008 | Send Email

This is a wonderful CdP from a great vintage. Aromas of truffle, garrigue, blackberries, sandalwood and bacon fat are already coming through - and I thought the nose seemed a little muted. Wow, can you imagine what it will smell like with a little bottle age? You won't be able to pull your face from the glass. Sweet fruit and grippy tannins on the palate now, this is a wine to buy and put away for five years, but it will be well worth the wait.

By: Mulan Chan-Randel | K&L Staff Member | Review Date: 11/19/2008 | Send Email

Year in and year out Le Vieux Donjon is always one of my favorite wines from Chateauneuf-du-Pape and the 2006 is no exception. Full-bodied, with nuances of crushed black cherry, dried herbs, hints of black olive, sea kelp and a whiff of lavender. Although a more elegant example of the region, the 2006 is still built for aging and is a prime candidate for the cellar.

Drink from 2010 to 2020

Additional Information:

Varietal:

Rhone Blends

Country:

France

- When it comes to wine, France stands alone. No other country can beat it in terms of quality and diversity. And while many of its Region, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne most obviously, produce wine as rare, as sought-after and nearly as expensive as gold, there are just as many obscurities and values to be had from little known appellations throughout the country. To learn everything there is to know about French wine would take a lifetime. To understand and appreciate French wine, one only has to begin tasting them.

Sub-Region:

Rhone

- Legendary wine-producing region in southeast France. Stereotypically speaking, Rhone wines are high in alcohol, and the majority produced is red. The northern Rhone is best known for outstanding 100% Syrah wines from areas such as Cote Rotie and Hermitage, as well as for fabulous white wines from Condrieu (where Viognier is king). In the southern Rhone, look for spicy, full-bodied wines that are blends of Grenache, Syrah, and other varietals coming from appellations such as Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, or Rasteau. Wines labeled as Cote du Rhone or Cotes du Rhone Village (a cut above generic Cotes du Rhone) are frequently found here in the US because they often represent some of the best values on the market.

Specific Appellation: