Château de Vaudieu - Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe Val de Dieu 2023

Druvor

40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, & 20% Mourvèdre.

Tasting note

The 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Val De Dieu checks in as 40% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 20% Mourvèdre. One of the darker hued releases in the lineup, its opaque ruby hue is followed by classic notes of blackberries, smoked garrigue, peppered meats, and graphite. It's rich and full-bodied, with building tannins and outstanding length. It doesn't have the same level of elegance as the estate’s other releases, but I suspect that will come with 2-4 years of bottle age.

The team at Château du Vaudieu, led by Laurent Bréchet as well as consultant Philippe Cambie, is firing on all cylinders and continues to produce a bevy of truly world class wines in every vintage. The estate is located not far from Rayas and the wines are rich and powerful, yet never show any signs of rusticity or coarseness. These are elegant, seamless, singular wines. Looking at the two vintages reviewed here, the 2017s showed brilliant with most rating at the upper end of their barrel reviews, which is always a good sign. These are incredibly Provençal, sexy, balanced wines that make the most of the vintage. All the 2018 reds were tasted out of barrel and shows beautifully, with the ripe yet pure style of the vintage. These will certainly be approachable in their youth, yet I suspect also age gracefully given their inherent balance. While 2018 was a difficult year for the whites, you wouldn’t know it by tasting at this estate and along with Saint Prefert and Beaucastel, I think Château De Vaudieu are fashioning some of the greatest whites of the region.

Jeb Dunnuck