Domaine de la Vieille Julienne VDP d'Orange

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The 2005 VdP d’Orange has an inky/purple color, and that’s not surprising given the fact that it is made from Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Grenache. A real sleeper of the vintage in 2005 thanks to the warm days, but cool nights, this wine reveals surprising firmness, tannin, and oodles of black currant fruit mixed with licorice and earth. The wine is aged in foudre prior to being bottled with neither fining nor filtration. This estate in the very northern sector of Chateauneuf du Pape celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2005, but the extraordinary wines have only really come with the emergence of Jean-Paul Daumen as a seasoned and competent producer, over the last seven to eight years. He is now one of the truly stunning producers in all of France and, somewhat unusual for Chateauneuf du Pape, he doesn’t make any white Chateauneuf du Pape.Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897

The 2004 VDP d’Orange, which is a blend of Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon aged completely in tank, has a deep ruby/purple color and a big, chunky, fleshy style with loads of black currant and graphite even though there is no new oak. The wine is heady, rich, and ideal for drinking in its first 4-5 years of life. P.S. I asked Daumen to indicate the yields of his vintages since 1998. Interestingly, he exceeded 30 hectoliters per hectare in 1998 and 1999, fell below that in 2000, and then his two smallest crops were 28 hectoliters per hectare in 2003 and 25 hectoliters per hectare in 2004. Obviously, this is for the entire estate and not just his Chateauneuf du Pape holdings, which are much smaller.Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897

The 2003 VDP d’Orange has turned out even better than I suggested last year. The wine has an exotic note of flowers intermixed with licorice, black cherry, and cassis. It is full-bodied and powerful, yet probably best drunk during its first 3-4 years of life. P.S. I asked Daumen to indicate the yields of his vintages since 1998. Interestingly, he exceeded 30 hectoliters per hectare in 1998 and 1999, fell below that in 2000, and then his two smallest crops were 28 hectoliters per hectare in 2003 and 25 hectoliters per hectare in 2004. Obviously, this is for the entire estate and not just his Chateauneuf du Pape holdings, which are much smaller.Importer: A Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchants, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897