Vin de La Solitude 2018 – Domaine de La Solitude.

Sometimes you get to try something special, like this cuvée by Domaine de la Solitude.

The 2018 Vin de la Solitude is a great wine, which we discussed earlier in Season 2 Episode 2 of our talk show Cellar Talks with Florent Lancon. Click here to learn all about this Domaine and the Châteauneuf du Pape region.

Where to start… The gorgeous bottle? The unique grape selection? The historical reference? It’s all there, and a story that needs to be told. So, keep on reading.

About the Wine

With this wine the family Lancon decided to honor one of their ancestors; Paul Martin. In the 18th century he was one of the first winemakers and merchants to bottle wine and sell it, exactly under this name. This is a unique and limited-edition wine, with just 1600 bottles produced. 

Made in the Châteauneuf du Pape this wine is not dominated by Grenache (most red wines in the AOC are). Instead the dominant grape is Counaise, combined with 8 other varieties. The winemaking process is just as unique as the grape choice. All grapes are co-fermented one after the other, with long maceration times. Fermentation lasts over a month and pressing over 80 days. On top of that the wine ages for 18 months in barrels.

This 2018 vintage is of course young but the wine already made a lasting impression. The nose is unlike any other wine from the region; blackberry and spices combined with floral notes, that almost make you forget to drink the wine! What follows is tasting feast with cassis, raspberry, juniper and herbal notes like thyme and bay leaf. The result can be described as elegant and refined, with restrained tannins and a refreshing taste. 

Rhone expert Jeb Dunnuck commented on this wine with a striking final remark: “This is a singular, gorgeously complex wine that tastes like a Grand Cru Burgundy made in the South of France”. 

Our conclusion: This is a unique and one of a kind wine. Not only in the result but also in the winemaking process. A wine with a deep soul, honoring legacy and tradition. This is complexity as you rarely see it, but it all seems to come together without any effort. A once in a life wine, which we happily award with a 95-point DWA score. Chapeau Famille Lancon!

This wine is available through Dutch importer Jean Arnaud. Production and availability are extremely limited however.


Price:                          ~ €70,00

Taste date:                February 2021

Score:                         95/100 DWA Score

Website:                   Domaine de La Solitude