98 Jeb Dunnuck - jebdunnuck.com

"The 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape is unquestionably the greatest wine made from this estate to date and surpasses the 1998, 2007, and 2010. Checking in as a normal blend of 75% Grenache, 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, and the balance Cinsault, it offers a heavenly bouquet of blackcurrants, ground pepper, new saddle leather, garrigue, and an assortment of exotic spices. Deep, full-bodied, incredibly concentrated, yet with the purity, elegance, and finesse that makes this vintage so special, it can be drunk any time over the coming two decades or more. Bravo!"

95 Wine Spectator

#8 Wine of the Year for 2018 with the Wine Spectator!
"Few estates epitomize Châteauneuf-du-Pape like Le Vieux Donjon. Family-owned, it is now run by the sister-and-brother team of Claire and François Michel, who succeeded their father, the legendary Lucien Michel. In 2012, a vineyard purchased on sandy soils bolstered the domaine’s holdings to 99 acres while providing access to all four terroirs in the appellation (galets, clay, limestone and sand). The 2016 is a 75-10-10-5 percent blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault, respectively, vinified traditionally, with one exception—in this vintage, a small portion was aged in cement vats (instead of entirely in foudres) to emphasize the freshness of the fruit. With its telltale juniper note and vibrant minerality, this is one of the most ageworthy and widely available bottlings from this storied appellation."