Rich, opulent, dense. Tardieu-Laurent Vieilles Vignes Châteauneuf-du-Pape is not a wallflower. Composed of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah and 5% Mourvèdre, most fruit comes from vines planted in the La Crau and Mont Olivet regions. This is heavily perfumed wine. Spice and floral notes give way to an intense minerality as the wine develops in the glass. Sweet and juicy on the palate with rounded tannins, the finish is long and smooth.
As one of the leading négociants in the Rhône, Maison Tardieu-Laurent have access to some of the most established old vines in the region. Tardieu-Laurent handpick the producers whose fruit finds its way into all of their wines, thus producing exemplary expressions of Rhône terroir at all tiers.
"A blend of 70% Grenache, 27% Mourvèdre and 3% other varieties, mostly from galets roulés, the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes features dark notes of leather, dried spices, plum and cola. It's full-bodied, rich and concentrated but a bit monolithic, with a long, velvety finish. It should drink well for a decade or more."
91-93 points, Wine Advocate (August 2019)
"Opaque ruby. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes fresh spice-tinged dark berries, cherry cola, incense and potpourri, and a smoky mineral nuance emerges with air. Lush black raspberry, cherry pie and lavender pastille flavors show superb depth as well as surprising energy, and steadily become sweeter on the back half. Shows excellent clarity and spicy thrust on a long, sappy finish framed by velvety, slow-building tannins."
94-95 points, Vinous (December 2019)
"Deeper and richer, the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes is a blend of 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, all from rolled stone terroirs and made with plenty of stems. Blackberries, ground herbs, graphite, and spring flower notes all develop beautifully with time in the glass, and it's medium to full-bodied, concentrated, and balanced. The stems are beautifully integrated and it has terrific mid-palate depth. It will benefit from short-term cellaring. "
93-95 points, JebDunnuck.com (August 2018)
"Steeped red currant, raspberry and black cherry fruit flavors are wrapped with red licorice notes and carried by a tarry spine through an energetic bramble- and tobacco-filled finish. Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah."
94 points, Wine Spectator (May 2020)
