2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Roussannes Château Vaudieu

Richly aromatic, with deep pear and a touch of yellow melon. Lightly honeyed on the nose, then more noticeably so on the palate, with sweet oak spice melding with the sappy acidity. Powerful in flavour, but with great focus, clarity and freshness; this has huge length, without any excessive body. Good now, will be better in time. Grown on limestone soils, aged in barriques, 50% of which are new.

Showing more precision than the 2020, the 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Les Vieilles Roussanne displays well-defined aromas of honeysuckle, dried lemon peel, pastry, almond, vanilla and freshly-cut fennel. Full-bodied and perfectly balanced by lively acidity, it wraps up with a resonating finish and should drink well over the next eight years.

All barrel fermented and matured, using 50% new oak, the 2021 Chateauneuf du Pape Les Vieilles Roussanne boasts bold aromas of honeyed muskmelon and enticing florals. It's full-bodied and expansive in the mouth yet not overly weighty or heavy, just pleasantly rich and generous, with a burst of lime zest on the lengthy finish to keep things focused.