Jean-Paul Daumen joined his family Domaine in the 1992 vintage and has taken it to new heights. Working only 10 hectares of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 5 hectares of Côtes du Rhône, he has farmed his land biodynamically since 2000. La Vieille Julienne is unique in that the vineyards lie on the northern edge of the appellation, and they are all north facing the only contiguous north-facing estate in the entire region. This allows a later, slower maturation of the grapes and ever-present elegance and balance. Jean-Paul walks his vineyards during harvest marking the plants that should be picked and waiting on others. He truly works his vineyard plant by plant, not parcel by parcel. Grapes are co-harvested and co-fermented.

How to explain what makes the « Réservé » so singular … Very old vines, low yields and natural approach make the bases, but it’s in the microclimate of the north facing terroir of slopes that it’ll forge his character. “Mid-August, when the vineyard is desert, I like walking in the vineyard of « les Trois Sources », receiving vines expressions, tasting berries. At this time, I must be receptive and I must appreciate all the details. Some years, depending the context of the vintage, some vines show specifics expressions. Exclusively in this case, these more hundred years old vines of Grenache (90%), Syrah, Cinsault, and Counoise get marked and vinified separately, producing the Réservé” - Jean-Paul Daumen.