Le millésime 2024 de la Cuvée Spéciale Vieilles Clairettes, mis en bouteille exclusivement en format Magnum et élevé dans un seul demi-muid (grand fût de chêne), est un vin blanc issu du cépage Clairette, cultivé sur de vieilles vignes dans le sud de la vallée du Rhône. Ici, ce n'est pas la Roussanne, mais bien le cépage Clairette lui-même qui occupe le devant de la scène. Et ce choix démontre clairement son efficacité. Les arômes boisés restent subtils, et si la texture est riche, elle n'en reste pas moins ferme ; le vin n'est pas excessivement dense, mais s'appuie sur des nuances d'écorce d'agrumes et d'herbes, ainsi que sur une pointe de salinité.
À servir à 12 °C dans un grand verre. Ce vin se dégustera idéalement entre 2027 et 2037.
Robert Parker (97)
Matured for 18 months in one-third wine globes (glass containers) and two-thirds large barrels, the 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Vieilles Clairettes ranks among the white wines of the vintage. Gently reduced, with a subtle oak imprint, it unfurls from the glass with aromas of white fruits, menthol, pear and flowers. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and satiny, it is seamless and tensile, built around a fleshy core of fruit that carries into a pure, racy and ethereal finish. Vinified with whole bunches and harvested earlier than in previous years, it delivers a more delicate profile marked by precision and lively acidity.
Vinous (95)
Scheduled to age for one and a half years in a combination of one wine globe and one demi-muid, the 2024 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée Spéciale Vieilles Clairettes showcases pristine jasmine, lemon flesh, honeysuckle, chamomile and linden blossom aromas accentuated by a suggestion of flintstone. Hitting the medium- to full-bodied palate with vivid energy, the 2024 is shaping up to be yet another delicious white Châteauneuf, showcasing the very best of what the Clairette grape can bring to the table.
Jeb Dunnuck (98)
The Chassagne-Montrachet of the Rhône, the absolutely sensational 2024 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Speciale Vieilles Clairettes delivers notes of white peach, honeyed orange, spice, hints of clean reduction, and white flowers. Medium to full-bodied, ultra-pure, and layered, with remarkable length, the level of class, purity, and precision here is off the charts. Don't miss this beauty. It will reward short-term cellaring and should be incredibly long-lived.
