Le Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc 2022 (Southern Rhone, France) - [WA 94] [JS 94] [JD 94] [WS 93]

About this Wine: The domain Vieux Donjon was founded by the father of Lucien Michel, Marcel Michel, who did the first bottling at his domain in 1966. Beginning in 1979 Marie José and Lucien Michel began to run the property. The next generation Claire Michel joined in 2008 and her brother Francois joined in 2013 - all wines are now made by them.  The domain covers 14 ha of Chateauneuf du Pape, one of them with white varieties. The vinification process is in the best sense of the word traditional. Only one cuvée of red and of white Chateauneuf du Pape is made. The cuvee rouge consists of 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault. Aged for 6 months in cement tank and then about 12 months in foudres. If there is a picture to epitomize Chateauneuf du Pape, it is of huge, gnarled vines rising from a mound of large smooth stones. And if one estate epitomizes these vieux ceps and cailloux, then surely it is the small domain of Lucien and Marie-José Michel. Their oldest vines excee