2022 Dm de la Vieille Julienne Les Hauts-Lieux Chateauneuf du Pape, Southern Rhone

The 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts-Lieux is based on 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault, and the rest Counoise and comes from vines just in front of the estate as well as the slightly higher elevation Brusquière plateau, which is a later, cooler terroir. Its deep ruby hue is followed by a killer nose of ripe red and black fruits, peppery herbs, leather, and graphite. With medium to full-bodied richness, it's concentrated, has a deep, layered mouthfeel, beautiful mid-palate density, and one hell of a great finish. It's one of the wines of the vintage.

98 points Jeb Dunnuck

Black and red fruits, liquorice, dried herbs and spice, a sort of beef pan juices richness here, some floral notes manage to poke through. Full-bodied, ripe cherry, some orange peel from the Mourvèdre no doubt, balanced acidity, an impressive sweep of firm stony tannin, with excellent length, some dark chocolate to close. Feels like a long term wine to me, and while robust, it’s so very impressive.

95 points Gary Walsh for The Wine Front

Very ripe, and if anything even fresher than Les Trois Sources this year. Great finesse of tannin, and a really solid base for long ageing. This will take a long time to come round and will be good for decades. Moderate alcohol, and a freshening, succulent, saline edge. No Syrah in the blend here, plentiful Mourvédre however, which performed well in 2022. From three parcels close to the limestone plateau, some clay, relatively high altitude and late ripening, with less exposure to the sun.

95 points Matt Walls for Decanter

One of my favorite wines at this address, the 2022 Les Hauts-Lieux, derives from vines planted on a cooler, higher elevation on calcareous soils. These grapes, including more Mourvèdre (20%), are picked 15 days later than the other grapes. Evoking aromas of dark cherries, ground pepper, iris, tapenade and dark olive, it’s full-bodied, powerful and structured with velvety tannins and a dense, concentrated core of fruit enhanced by notes of chocolate and spices that segues into a long, mineral and superb finish. It’s poised to reach its 20th anniversary in outstanding condition.

95 points Yohan Castaing for The Wine Advocate

High on the stony plateau of Châteauneuf du Pape, Jean Paul Daumen crafts wines that seem to bottle the landscape itself. Domaine de la Vieille Julienne has long been one of the benchmark estates of the southern Rhône, celebrated for biodynamic farming, old vines and wines that carry extraordinary depth without sacrificing finesse. Les Hauts Lieux comes from elevated parcels with limestone rich soils and rolled river stones, producing a wine with remarkable tension and aromatic lift alongside the estate’s signature power.

The 2022 vintage is beautifully expressive from the first pour. Dark cherry, blackberry and black raspberry surge through the glass alongside notes of crushed violets, wild thyme, smoked herbs and cracked pepper. Grenache brings plush fruit and generosity while Mourvèdre and Syrah add savoury structure, spice and earthy complexity. There is an incredible sense of movement here for such a concentrated wine, with layers of liquorice, olive tapenade, warm stone and dried lavender unfurling slowly across the palate. The finish feels almost endless, carried by fine tannins and a freshness that keeps drawing you back for another sip.

This is Châteauneuf du Pape built for long lunches and winter feasts. Roast lamb with anchovy and rosemary would be magic, though the wine also sings with slow braised venison, smoky mushrooms or rich Provençal dishes loaded with herbs and olive oil. As the evening stretches on and the wine opens further in the decanter, more floral and mineral detail emerges, reminding you why Vieille Julienne remains one of the Rhône’s most revered names. Cellar confidently for 15 years or more.