The 2018 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reserve is a proprietary blend red wine hailing from the renowned Chateauneuf du Pape appellation in the Southern Rhone region of France. Produced by Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, this wine has been highly acclaimed by multiple reviewers and stands out for its finesse, elegance, and depth.
Decanter awarded this wine a score of 97, describing it as "deeper in colour than the other cuvees" with "exuberantly fruity" notes of plum, prune, and blackberry coulis. Despite the extremities of the 2018 vintage, the wine is noted for its restraint and drinkability, with "less noticeable alcohol than other hot years." It has "real texture, mineral drive and a very, very long finish," making it a biodynamic wine with finesse and elegance.
Jeb Dunnuck also rated the wine at 97, emphasizing its "elegant, seamless style" and "gorgeous bouquet of cassis, blueberries, crushed violets, smoked game, ground pepper, and black licorice." Dunnuck praises the wine's "flawless balance" and "silky tannins," predicting it will "evolve gracefully for 15+ years or more." He highlights it as "just about as good as 2018 gets," a testament to its outstanding quality.
Jeff Leve of TheWineCellarInsider.com gave an even higher score of 98, calling the wine a "great success in any vintage, but a marvel in a difficult year." Leve notes its "deep, dark, red hue" and "gorgeous" perfume comprising flowers, licorice, garrigue, spices, cherries, and plums. He describes it as "richly textured, concentrated, long and with depth and complexity," recommending 3-5 years of aging for optimal enjoyment.
Vinous, with a score of 96 by Josh Raynolds, highlights the wine's "inky ruby" color and "expansive red and dark berry preserve, licorice and potpourri aromas." Raynolds appreciates its "deeply concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and cherry cola flavors," along with a finish that shows "superb clarity, building tannins and outstanding, floral-driven persistence."
Finally, Wine Spectator scored the wine at 95, noting "gorgeous flavors of raspberry, boysenberry and blackberry pâte de fruit" along with "warmed fruitcake, anise and red tea notes." The wine is described as "understated stylistically" with a "subtle signed alder frame" and "fine chalky minerality" on the focused finish. Best enjoyed from 2024 through 2038, this wine is limited in production with only 250 cases made and 50 cases imported.
Overall, the 2018 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reserve is a standout wine from a challenging vintage, praised for its balance, depth, and potential for aging.