Big Wave Dave

9.2

Very shy nose. Whiff of peach and banana. Full and generous palate. Nectarine and beeswax. Smooth and supple but the structure and acid poke their head out with air. VG with Gambas/paprika/garlic. With R on my bday weekend. — 12 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.1

Notes from December 2022 still apply. Pale to mid lemon in colour. Aromas of apple pie this time around. A medium to full bodied white - a note of rockmelon (cantaloupe) a good white for winter - Medium minus acid with good length. Drinking at its peak. — 19 days ago

Bob McDonald

9.0

See previous note from 45 weeks ago. Before tasting this we had finished off the last of a Guigal Côtes du Rhône. The Telegramme was like a CdR with more mid palate fruit, more tar, more savoury and more power. A good but not great wine. — 25 days ago

Brent Young

9.3

11 Days of “Slow Decanting” this classically styled Chateauneuf du Pape

Le Vieux Donion is one of the more traditional estates in CdP. They make a single wine each vintage from their 14 hectares of organically farmed fruit. Grenache is the major grape with Syrah and Mourvedre in blending roles

DAY 1
Served with the Vinloq System
👃Perfumed, ripe blackberry and plums with deep earthy notes of soil mixed with dusty cellar and a potato note. Oak signatures like vanilla and cedar mesh well with this classic styled Southern Rhone. Pretty stunning right away
👅Plummy dark fruit, kirsch, licorice, and game.
Juicy. Oak influences and a touch of prune. A little warmth from the 14% alcohol lead into an extended finish. Good acidity. More refined than rustic

The remaining wine was "Slow Decanted" in my refrigerator

DAY 11
👃This is sweet with ripe, dark fruit and kirsch.
Yes, that cut potato note is there again but it does not detract. There is a bit of spice and dustiness
👅Full bodied and earthy with dark fruit. Silky texture. The tannins have mostly resolved with a little grip on the finish. Based on this bottle, this wine still has time. It is drinking very well but it shows no signs of a downturn anytime soon

I seem to generally prefer CdP wines shortly after pouring rather than letting them breathe in the glass(or decanter). That was true with this Donjon on both occasions. However, Slow Decanting the wine for 11 days did not change my enjoyment of the wine vs Day 1 🍷🍷 — a month ago

Jason

9.1

Yellow green centre and watery outer. Oaky scent - vanilla, burnt marshmallow. Good creamy mouth feel, medium body. Acid hits the middle of the tongue. Light tannins, low to medium complexity. Taste of vanilla, mandarin with a nice and long citrus/acidic finish. Very enjoyable. — 4 days ago

Alan Hense

9.1

Med+ bodied wine. Pronounced flavours and aromas of honeysuckle, apricot, beeswax,, and orange. Long finish and we’ll made. — 2 months ago

Jeroen Koenen

9.5

Gorgeous, traditional and generous.
Not too sweet, not too rustic; right in the middle 🎯
Soft notes of plums, black cherries, beefstew, garrigue, brown spices and a whiff of hearty umami nuances like porcini, sundried tomatoes and vegemite/soysauce.
Well balanced, medium bodied and full of detail and finesse. Great stuff. — 16 days ago

Jess

8.9

Medium ruby color.
Aromas of red fruit, raspberry.
Dry. Flavors of blackberry, raspberry, soft oak spice

Intensity: 4/5
Complexity: 2/5
Balance: 4/5
Finish: 3/5 — 9 days ago

ES

10

Delicious, cherry, spicy, full bodied
Gift from Lloyd’s — 2 months ago

Maggie Harrison

9.4

black pepper, licorice, dark, silky smooth up front- tannins medium, acid medium +. 2019 enjoyed on 3/23/23. a baby. buy and hold! — 2 months ago