2012 Domaine de la Janasse Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes

SKU #1176043 96 points Jeb Dunnuck

One of my favorite wines in just about every vintage is the old vine cuvée from Janasse and the 2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Vieilles Vignes is another beautiful wine. Made from 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre and the balance Syrah, aged in a mix of foudre and barrels, it offers terrific black fruits, crushed rocks, garrigue, and violet aromas and flavors. Full-bodied, concentrated, and beautifully balanced, with ripe tannin, it’s a joy to drink... (2/2018)

96 points Wine Advocate

Up in the top handful of wines in the vintage (which should come as no surprise to anyone who follows this estate), the 2012 Châteauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is a full-bodied, beautifully concentrated, rich and layered Châteauneuf that doesn’t put a foot wrong. Made from 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and the rest Syrah, it offers blockbuster notes of blackberry, liquid-violets, spice and serious minerality to go with awesome mid-palate depth and layers of sweet tannin. (JD) (10/2014)

96 points Wine Spectator

Tightly coiled for now, this features an intense, vivid core of anise, blackberry coulis, plum paste and macerated fig fruit, with black tea, smoldering tobacco and warm ganache notes. Long and dense, but very silky, with gorgeous violet and pastis details lingering in the background. Should unwind with time. (JM) (9/2014)

94 points Decanter

Christophe Sabon has long produced different bottlings of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, all of high quality. The Vieilles Vignes comes from vines over 100 years old, mostly Grenache. Part of the wine is aged in 600-litre barrels. The nose is remarkably perfumed and lifted, with spicy red-fruits aromas and a light toastiness. The wine is predictably powerful, but it's also tight and elegant, with fine-grained tannins and a delightful freshness on the long finish. Despite the high alcohol, the wine shows fine balance and no burn on the finish. (SB) (9/2019)

94 points Vinous

Inky ruby. Explosive aromas of dark berry preserves, incense and lavender, with a smoky overtone and bright minerality. Pliant and seamless in the mouth, offering intense, palate-staining cassis and blueberry flavors that are energized by juicy acidity. Shows real power and focus on the strikingly long finish, which features velvety tannins and a hint of candied flowers. There's 15% alcohol here, which is actually quite low for this bottling, and I don't detect any undue heat. (JR) (4/2015)

K&L Notes

This cuvée of 80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre is from vines planted to clay-limestone soils that are full of the region's famous large pebbles, known as 'galets,' which absorb heat from the sun during the day and keep vines warm at night, encouraging ripeness and intensity of flavor. This was raised in one-year-old foudres and barriques, and reveals classic Châteauneuf aroma and flavor characteristics in an elegant, beautifully balanced style that will age for decades.