Château de Vaudieu is not as well known as Vieux Télégraphe or Château de Beaucastel, but I think it should be. It is the largest continuous holding in Châteauneuf -du-Pape, with 70ha. As such, it has seven different soil types on this property with sand, limestone, and large pebbles dominating parts of the property.
These different soil types invite different bottlings, and this is what Chateau de Vaudieu does. I tasted three of their wines from the 2016 vintage.
The 2016 Château de Vaudieu Châteauneuf -du-Pape is the base wine. It is Grenache dominant. The wine is predominantly composed of grapes from sandy soils. The flavour profile is quite intriguing, with red, blue, and black fruit flavours dominant on different parts of the palate. There are licorice flavours and some spice. The wine has a medium concentration. Firm tannins overshadow the fruit a bit. This is a solid, but not outstanding wine.
Score: 92/++
The 2016 Château de Vaudieu Val de Dieu is from a little valley which gave the name to the Chateau. The soil is large pebbles and red sandstone. This wine has a similar flavour profile, with darker fruits more dominant. This wine is more rounded, more elegant, with quite ripe Grenache flavours shining through. The mouthfeel is quite deep, as chalky, dry tannins lead to a dry finish.
Score: 94/++
The 2016 Château de Vaudieu L'Avenue is stunning. This wine is 100% Grenache from a small block of sandy soil. Black cherries and blue fruit flavours avoid any raspberry. This wine is powerful, concentrated, and rich, yet at the same time elegant and not dense. It has been described as a 'plush sexpot of a wine'. The tannins are ample, yet silky. I loved this wine.
Score: 97/+++
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