Château de Vaudieu - Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe Les Vieilles Roussanne 2023

The 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne was barrel-fermented and matured in 50% new oak (demi-muids). Marked by subtle hints of pencil shavings, it delivers plenty of ripe, pineapple-scented fruit on the nose. It's full-bodied, plush and rich in feel, with a touch of creaminess to its texture and a long, concentrated finish. Purists might find it just too big and even a touch warm, but I love the wine's extroverted, generous nature.

I covered the 2020 reds and 2021 whites from Vaudieu in Part 1 of this report, but as I also visited Laurent Brechet on my June 2023 trip, I've included reviews of more recent releases here. The estate is a true château, set well back from the main road, with vineyards surrounding it. Brechet seems to be constantly retooling his vineyards in some way; this year he was excited by how the young Cinsault was coming along. He's added Picardan to the mix and top-grafted some vines to Bourboulenc. At a bit more than 10 hectares of white grapes in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, he claims to be the third-largest producer of white in the region. "Demand for white wines is growing," said Brechet, who went on to say that he was considering a project elsewhere in Provence, possibly a partnership with an existing grower. Among the array of red wines, Brechet suggested that he'll be offering a new cuvée from the 2022 vintage, a wine he is calling V. As presented to me during my visit, it will be a blend of three demi-muids, one each from l'Avenue and Amiral G, and one from a parcel of vines located in between those two. Driven by Brechet's quest for ever-higher quality, this estate is becoming a leader in the region.