Le Vieux Donjon — the wines we carry

A producer that has been cultivating vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape for approximately ten generations, beginning estate bottling in 1967. In 1979, the former head, Lucien, married his wife, Marie-Josèphe. Because both families had a background in viticulture, their vineyards were united into a single estate. Today, owning a total of 17 hectares (16 hectares of red and 1 hectare of white), the winemaking has been passed down to their children, Claire and François. The name LE VIEUX DONJON means "the old keep," inspired by the ruins of the Château de Châteauneuf as viewed from the winery. The vineyards are scattered across various locations, totaling 17 hectares: 8 hectares in a parcel dense with large stones, 3.5 hectares in a sandy plot featuring large stones and excellent drainage, and 3.5 hectares in purely sandy soils. Planted with varieties such as Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Cinsault, Roussanne, and Counoise, the oldest vines exceed 110 years of age, with black grapes accounting for 95% and white grapes a mere 5%. Grapes cultivated in the region’s characteristic fields strewn with reddish, oxidized stones impart power and depth to the wine, while those from the sandy soils lend finesse. All harvesting is done entirely by hand with strict sorting, reflecting their dedication to reducing yields to elevate wine quality. For the reds, 100% of the Syrah and Mourvèdre, and 50% of the Grenache, are destemmed, followed by alcoholic fermentation in concrete tanks for 20 to 25 days with regular remontage. After pressing, malolactic fermentation takes place in the same tanks, followed by aging in 50-hectoliter large oak casks for 12 to 18 months. The individual cuvées are then blended to complete the red wine. The whites are harvested in the cool morning hours, sorted, and pressed, then fermented at low temperatures in stainless steel tanks to preserve freshness and aromatics, culminating in bottling at the end of December of the harvest year. 株式会社フィネス資料