The 2018 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources is a proprietary red blend hailing from the Southern Rhône region of France. This wine is produced by Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, a respected name in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. With an alcohol content of 14.5% and bottled under cork, this wine showcases the distinct characteristics of its terroir and vintage.
Decanter awarded this wine a score of 93, noting its "vibrantly fruity" profile filled with "forest berries and good juice on the palate." The reviewer highlighted the wine's "firm, slightly hard strictness to the tannins," which adds to its "sense of drinkability, direction and straightness." The wine is biodynamic and vinified in concrete in a cool cellar, with 20% of the old vine Grenache destemmed.
Jeb Dunnuck gave the wine an impressive 95 points, emphasizing its "softer, more elegant" nature compared to its counterpart, Les Hauts-Lieux. He praised its "gorgeous perfume of black cherries, black licorice, tapenade, violets, herbes de Provence, and jus de viande." Dunnuck described it as "deep, full-bodied, and beautifully layered," suggesting it will benefit from short-term cellaring and evolve nicely over 10-12 years.
Jeff Leve from TheWineCellarInsider.com rated it 94 points, appreciating its "spicy, fresh, sweet, ripe red fruits, herbs, thyme, flowers, and pepper." He found the wine "medium-bodied" with a palate delivering "ripe, red cherries, kirsch, and spicy black raspberries from start to finish." Leve believes it will be enjoyable upon release and continue to impress for at least a decade.
Wine Spectator also scored it 94 points, describing it as "very well-defined" with flavors of "anise, black tea, cassis, plum, and blackberry puree." The wine carries "racy iron, savory, and garrigue notes," and is best enjoyed from 2024 through 2036. The production was limited to 800 cases, with 200 cases imported.
Finally, Vinous awarded it 92 points, highlighting its aromas of "dark cherry and plum, strawberry, leather, and a dash of white pepper." Full-bodied and concentrated, it is balanced by refreshing acidity and ends with a savory finish. The reviewer notes that due to mildew, only half the normal production was achieved.
Overall, the 2018 Domaine de la Vieille Julienne Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Trois Sources is a well-regarded wine, praised for its complexity, balance, and elegance.