Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape les Hauts Lieux 2012

Ideally drink now through 2030. Decant for 2 hours prior to drinking

The Les Hauts Lieux is sourced from grapes grown in limestone soils in the northern sector of the Chateauneuf Du Pape appellation, and made with 70% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 5% Cinsault, and 5% Counoise. Dense, luscious, and brooding, this wine has aromas of rich berry compote, candied rose petal, and fruit liqueur. On the palate, anise and black tea notes are accompanied by a graphite spine and boysenberry pie flavors, with a full bodied and voluptuous mouthfeel and a long, mineral finish.

Rich gamebirds like pheasant, guineafowl, or pigeon accompanied by caramelized roast carrots, potatoes, and beets are delightful when eaten next to a rich, full-bodied Chateauneuf Du Pape such as this.

With only 6,000 bottles produced, the Les Hauts Lieux is a rare and fantastic wine treasure. Jean-Paul Daumen, the winemaker, selects grapes from the highest terraces in the vineyard Cabrieres, and uses no sulfur during the winemaking process, only adding a small amount immediately prior to bottling. Fermented in cement tanks and aged in large oak casks, this wine is meant to showcase place and region before stylistic winemaking choices.