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B-21 Top Recommendation
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"In addition to the brilliant reds, this estate fashions some of the greatest whites in the appellation." - Jeb Dunnuck
Château de Vaudieu is a long-time favorite among Châteauneuf-du-Pape insiders for their ultra-refined style and their impeccable terroir (neighbors to the cult icon Chateau Rayas, so it's no surprise), but their wines are typically very scarce in the U.S. market. So, when we came across a parcel of their dazzling 2022s, we jumped on it without hesitation.
Vaudieu's impeccable, sandy soils endow the estate's red wines with uncompromising elegance and finesse, while simultaneously imparting serious concentration to the flavor profiles and structures. "Unquestionably up with the top wines of the vintage" according to Dunnuck, the 2022 Val de Dieu, a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre, shines in the early-harvest 2022 vintage, capturing all the vintage's bright, sunny character while remaining incredibly sleek and agile. The 96-point Amiral G and 97-Point L' Avenue are every bit the cult-caliber showstoppers that their reputations imply, the latter also "up with the crème de la crème of the vintage" per Dunnuck and the former a "structured and concentrated ... great success" in the words of Advocate's Yohan Castaing.
Of course, as Dunnuck notes above, no serious Rhône fan should overlook the Vaudieu whites, benchmarks in every way, starting with the prodigious, 97-point, "Hermitage-like" Clos de Belvedere, a cuvée of 100% Grenache Blanc that's the absolute height of the varietal expression. In the same league of varietal masterpieces, the Vieilles Roussanne is "an enticing white, with simmering, spicy power and dimension" that shows its limestone terroir in perfect clarity along side its pure Roussanne character.
This is a standout range the exemplifies one of the appellation's great benchmark estates, offering collectors a bevy of cellar-worthy stunners that can stand toe-to-toe with the very best that Châteauneuf has to offer. |
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The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Amiral G. brings more density and depth. Based on 100% Grenache aging in concrete and demi-muid, its medium ruby hue is followed by a gorgeous perfume of black cherries, wild strawberries, Provençal garrigue, leather, and peppery, spice-like nuances. It's beautifully polished, medium to full-bodied, has a layered, elegant mouthfeel, and ripe, building tannins. It's very much in the sunny, perfumed, complex, and already accessible style of the vintage yet is going to evolve gracefully over the coming 15 years.
96 points, Jeb Dunnuck (Oct 2024)
Crafted entirely from Grenache Noir planted on galets roulés, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Amiral G reveals aromas of dark cherries, spices, oak, licorice and lead pencil mingled with garrigue notes. Medium to full-bodied, structured and concentrated, it's denser and fleshier than the classic cuvée with velvety tannins and a rich, powerful finish. Produced at only 3,000 bottles and matured for 18 months in demi-muids or 600-liter barrels, this is a great success.
94 points, Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate (Sep 2024)
The 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Amiral G is delicious. Ripe red fruits, violet and licorice jump out of the glass. Wood smoke and cloves confirm the usage of 100% new oak during élevage. Touching the concentrated palate with a juicy core of ripe fruits framed by firm tannins, the 2022 will take longer to come around compared to the other reds from this address. That said, its superior quality is obvious.
94 points, Nicolas Greinacher, Vinous (Nov 2024)
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