Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2009
Colour: Dark ruby-purple core, light garnet rim.
Nose: Ripe cherry, raspberry, liquroice, plum, graphite.
Palate: Dry, full bodied, medium+ acidity, full grippy tannins. Black cherry, plum, graphite, black raspberry, faint orange peel.
Finish: Long finish, pepper, plum, earth, alcohol kick (went away after 4-5 hours of decanting).
Score: 79+/100
Not sure if the wine is in a dumb phase, but the nose seems somewhat closed after 2 hours of decanting. Not showing too much on the nose or palate. Despite the higher 15.5% alcohol, the wine isn’t jammy, matured black cherry and plum forward. The wine isn’t showing much at the moment, would check back on day two.
Day two is more or less the same story, nothing much have changed. Perhaps this is the true form of the wine in this stage, or it needs a much longer cellar time. Drink 2020+.
Bottom line:
Rather disappointing experience, even on day 2, I decanted it for 5 hours. It feels to me as a nicer village level Cotes-du-Rhone, like a Rasteau of some sort, instead of a midrange CDP. Concentrated berries fruit, but lacks complexity and depth. Got a lot of tannins for further aging, but I am not sure it got what it takes to become a great wine. What a shame at this price.