Wine: 2010 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Most would question out of curiosity, what makes a wine, great? Is it the price that adds the value, or the palate of the critic that foresees the future of the bottle? Is it the producer, whom is hungry and passionate about fine elixirs, that portrays his character delineated through grape—or—maybe it is both the producer and a keen precision of perfect growing weather?
“…Deeply colored, it boasts masculine, meaty aromas and flavors of smoked herbs, pepper, licorice, lavender, crushed rock and blackberries to go with a full-bodied, concentrated and rich style on the palate. There’s ample tannin here, yet they’re sweet and beautifully integrated.” – eRobertParker.com
I am going to have to say, not only is it all of the above, but ever more so, my rhetorical questions become trivial to the pedigree in such art!
Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf du Pape is owned by the young and extravagant Southern Rhone Valley wine producers, Lucien and Marie Jose Michel. The domain was founded by the father of Lucien Michel, Marcel Michel, who did the first bottling of his domain in 1966. Since then, although short time in production has past, the producers every time have seemed to relate a transcendent experience to their curious winos.
Suddenly sweet and sour blackberries, raspberries, and dark ruby red cherries overcome the innards of my mouth with such exuberant intensity, brilliantly chewy and florally aromatic, numbing my face, setting off fireworks that ricochet humms of royal texture in a luxurious fashion within the canvas of my head, relentlessly starving my mouth for more. I am in utter bliss.
It is the wine that correctly magnifies my lenses, giving me a new view the key-holder to the doors of perception unlocks for my soul to embrace.
The 2010 Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape is transcendent experience, bottled to perfection, and growing with finesse, smooth and spiritually animated! For $69.99 a bottle, all time market low value, relative to its release cost at $188 per bottle, rated 96 points by famous critic, Robert Parker himself, one should not truly miss an opportunity such as this!