Vieux Donjon - Châteauneuf-du-Pape blanc 2023
94/100
RVF
91/100
Vinous
"A white wine with flawless balance!"
“White flowers, honeysuckle, wisteria, broom, and a few exotic and spicy notes; the wine is well-integrated, with a lovely mineral depth. The wine is lively and balanced, captivating the palate with its controlled richness and invigorating finish. Less full-bodied than the 2022, but more savory. ” (Le Guide RVF 2025). A white Châteauneuf-du-Pape to enjoy right now!
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Nose
With notes of citrus and flint
Palate
A crisp, fresh, and mineral-driven attack with notes of white flowers
Serve
At 10-12°C
Drink before
2033
Food and wine pairings
Pairs well with chestnut soup, langoustine ravioli, scallop risotto, truffle Brie...
Bettane & Desseauve
Rated estate (2022 guide): 3 stars (High-quality production, setting the standard in its sector)
About the estate:
Starting in 1979, Marie-José and Lucien Michel managed this estate before handing it over in 2008 to their daughter Claire Michel-Fabre, who was joined by her brother François in 2012. While the cellars are located in the village of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, this small 17-hectare estate is situated in the northern part of the appellation. With its smooth, floral, and very elegant profile, Le Vieux Donjon stands out as one of the leading examples of the refined and elegant style expected from a prestigious appellation like Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Wine rated (2025 guide) 94/100
Rated estate (2022 guide) 3*Stars (These represent the pinnacle of French winemaking. The finest terroirs cultivated by the greatest winemakers. Tasting their wine is always a magical experience)
About the wine:
White flowers, honeysuckle, wisteria, broom, and a few exotic and spicy notes; the overall profile is elegant, with a lovely mineral depth. The wine is lively and balanced, captivating the palate with its restrained richness and invigorating finish. Less full-bodied than the 2022 vintage, but more savory.
About the estate:
The wines of Domaine du Vieux Donjon are among the finest, most elegant, and most consistent in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. This production should serve as a model for young winemakers who wish to produce refined Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines—not merely imposing ones. A meticulous and talented winemaker, Lucien Michel has gradually handed over the reins to his two children: Claire, who joined in 2007, and François, a trained agricultural engineer, in 2012. This new generation harmoniously continues the style that has built the estate’s reputation, with two exceptional vintages. The wines are vinified in concrete tanks and aged in large oak casks. The white is a blend of equal parts Clairette and Roussanne. The reds are only partially destemmed, which does not prevent them from being delicate. The estate owns vineyards in some of the appellation’s finest terroirs (8 hectares in Pied Long, beautiful plots in Cabrières, Rayas, Cristia—purchased in 2013—Pied de Baud, Bois de Boursan, Le Mourre de Gaud, and others). It should be noted that the estate is expanding by 0.5 hectares at the lower end of Cabrières, with white vines of Clairette Blanche and Clairette Rose.
Jancis Robinson
Rated: Recommended
Vinous
Wine rated (2024 guide) 91/100
About the wine:
Bottled in February 2024, the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc offers aromas of ripe pear, quince, spring flowers, lemon zest, and fennel. Medium-bodied at most, the refreshing 2023 strikes the palate with lively acidity, which can be partly attributed to a halted malolactic fermentation. This is a fine Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc.
Jeb Dunnuck
Rated winery (2020 guide) Recommended
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