Brought up all in new demi-muids and barrels, the 100% Roussanne 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes offers a heavenly bouquet of ripe quince, acacia flowers, toasted almonds, citrus oil, and spice. Ful-bodied, deep, concentrated, and layered, with an unctuous style, this is pure Beaucastel magic. Reminding me of the 2009 (which is drinking brilliantly today), it deserves 2-4 years of bottle age and will absolutely blow you away over the following decade or more.Jeb Dunnuck | 100 JDThe 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is another triumphant vintage for this bottling. Fermented and matured in a combination of new and second-use oak, it’s ripe and honeyed, with waves of lush peach and melon fruit, yet it somehow never seems overdone. Full-bodied, ripe and round, it’s expansive in the mouth yet never heavy, finishing long and luxurious, with subtle hints of wood spice, honey and citrus.Robert Parker Wine Advocate | 97 RPAmazing nose of dried apricots and caramelized pears with a lot of toasted nut complexity. Very rich and mellow on the full-bodied palate, this glides over your palate. Opulent in the best sense, the creaminess very sensual, and then comes the amazingly graceful and properly dry, super-long finish. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.James Suckling | 97 JSThis extraordinary white is just beginning to open up to reveal its expert mix of power and refinement, with measured opulence held in check by saline-streaked mineral notes. There’s plenty of ripe yellow apple and pear to give the desired voluptuousness, with a simmering well of energy keeping tension from start to lengthy finish. Subtle oak toast and buttercream hints remain gracefully integrated in the backdrop. A few years in the cellar will allow this to really shine. Drink now through 2035.Wine Spectator | 96 WSRicher, more honeyed than the 2023 on the nose. Generous and full-bodied, with low acidity and more noticeable noble bitter notes than the 2023. The oak isn’t quite so well integrated yet, so give it more time to harmonise. Powerful, though, and very flavoursome, with a spicy profile. The alcohol doesn’t feel excessive, even for a hot, dry vintage like 2022. A particularly bold and powerful example of this cuvée, which is from a single parcel of Roussanne, planted in 1919 and grown biodynamically. Aged in one-year-old demi-muids and barriques. Maximum of 6,000 bottles per year.Decanter Magazine | 96 DECThe dashing 2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Roussanne Vieilles Vignes is yet another brilliant white from this reliable address. Discrete cedar, lemon peel, ripe pear, yellow apple and spring blossom are all pushed forward. Verbena tea and melon add more dimension. Hitting the palate with ample concentration and tension, the 2022 flawlessly makes its way to a sapid finish that lingers with an elegant aftertaste.Vinous Media | 95 VM
