Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes 2012 (magnum)

It boasts an inky/purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of crushed rocks, jammy black fruits, charcoal and graphite. Blackberry aroma with an air of dates pressed in alongside – this is sweet-noted. It is easy to appreciate, a sleek and stylish start. The palate holds excellent fruit that runs well and has kick. Its tannins move round freely and a minted finale comes forward. Its dark fruit is tasty, darkens on the finish, where tar and char from its oak enter. It is all very much together, a bundle of harmony, and will gain local attributes as it ages.
An outstanding Chateauneuf du Pape which display the best of its terroir.

"Shows a lot of stuffing for the vintage, with blackberry and blueberry pâte de fruit notes lined with sweet spice, melted licorice and fruitcake flavors. Dark and fleshy, with lively acidity and a strong graphite streak through the finish that lets the fruit pump along. Best from 2015 through 2027.—J.M."Wine Spectator's Insider (October 2nd 2013), 92 pts

"Even more impressive and certainly one of the top 3-4 wines in the vintage, the Grand Veneur 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes offers up spectacular density and depth, with big structure, chewy tannin and brilliant purity of fruit. A blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah, it offers loads of blackberry, licorice, roasted meats, bouquet garni and pepper to go with a full-bodied, layered and perfectly proportioned profile. It too will have 15-20 years of longevity. Drink 2015-2032. "Wine Advocate (Jeb Dunnuck, issue#209, October 2013), 94-97 pts

"The 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is the most concentrated and potentially long-lived of this 2011 trio. It came in at an amazing 16.5% natural alcohol, and is one of the wines of the vintage. A blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre and 10% Syrah aged in small barrels, it blows away just about every other Chateauneuf in this vintage. It boasts an inky/purple color in addition to a gorgeous perfume of crushed rocks, jammy black fruits, charcoal and graphite. This intense, full-bodied 2011's concentration and power are atypical for this vintage. It should age nicely for 15 or more years."Wine Advocate (Robert Parker, issue#203, October 2012), 92-94 pts

The Grand Veneur Estate
In 1320 Pope Jean XXII planted the first vines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, but it was only in 1360 that the wines of the region first gained fame.  Oddly, the wine that gave Chateauneuf-du-Pape its original reputation was the Blanc and not the Rouge.  The white wine was a favorite of Pope Innocent VI.  The Domaine dates back to 1826, having been founded at that time by Mathieu Jaume.  Since 1979, Alain Jaume has run the Domaine and now has the help of his two sons:  Sebastien and Christophe. 
"Popes throughout history have liked their juice, and when the papal see moved to Avignon in the 13th century, that juice was Chateauneuf-du-Pape ("the pope's new castle") made from grapes grown nearby in the Southern Rhone. The castle is a ruin now, the papal court long gone back to Rome, but the wines that bear the pope's coat of arms emblazoned on the bottle are still produced more or less according to the long-standing recipe. Not every winemaker uses all 13 of the grapes in the proscribed blend, though. At Domaine Grand Veneur, an estate that dates to 1826, Alain Jaume and his sons Sebastien and Christophe emphasize Grenache blended with Syrah and Mourvedre."
- Los Angeles Times

"Improved Chateauneuf with very accomplished, stylish reds since the late 1990s; also very good Vacqueyras and Cotes-du-Rhone Villages." - Anthony Dias Blue's pocket guide to wine 2006

"Grand Veneur is one of the most brilliant estates in Chateauneuf du Pape as well as the force behind the negociant wines sold under the Alain Jaume label. Virtually everything they produce has merit. Some of this estate’s 2009 red wines are just hitting the market as they are bottled early to preserve their fruit and freshness. I can’t say enough about the job Alain Jaume’s two sons, Sebastian and Christophe, have done with this estate. The impeccable attention to detail in the vineyards, the meticulous vinification, and the careful bottling benefit every consumer." - Wine Advocate (#190, August 2010)

"Great bargains continue to emerge from Domaine Grand Veneur as well as from their negociant arm of the business, labeled Alain Jaume" - Wine Advocate (#195, June 2011)

"Don't miss the following "Best Buys" reviewed in several previous issues: Alain Jaume 2010 Cotes du Rhone Haut de Brune (87), Grand Veneur 2010 Cotes du Rhone Blanc (88), Grand Veneur 2009 Cotes du Rhone Les Champauvins (89), Grand Veneur 2009 Cotes du Rhone Reserve Blanc (89), Grand Veneur 2010 Cotes du Rhone Blanc (91), Grand Veneur 2010 Cotes du Rhone Rose (86), Grand Veneur 2009 Lirac Clos de Sixte (91), and Grand Veneur 2010 Cotes du Rhone Blanc de Viognier (89). Credit Christophe and Sebastian Jaume for making this one of the most impeccably run estates in the Rhone Valley. To reiterate, this is an estate at the top of its game and the wines remain fairly priced as well. The 2010 Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Papes reveal youthful, crisper, more focused styles than their 2009 counterparts. I suspect their pHs are lower, the total acids slightly higher, and the alcohols perhaps .5 to 1% lower across the board." - Wine Advocate (issue197, October 2011)"

The Grand Veneur Vineyard 
The estate is located in the commune of Orange and consists of 50 hectares (123 acres).  It covers four different appellations: Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cotes-du-Rhone Villages, Cotes-du-Rhone and Lirac.
The family produces wines under two labels: 
-  Domaine Grand Veneur – Estate
-  Alain Jaume – Negociant

Some wine by Grand Veneur:

• Domaine Grand Veneur, Clos de Sixte, Lirac Rouge
• Reserve Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône Rouge
• Reserve Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône Blanc
• Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône "Blanc de Viognier"
• Reserve Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône Rosé
• Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône Rouge, Les Champauvins
• Grand Veneur, Côtes du Rhône Villages Rouge, Les Champauvins
• Grand Veneur , Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
• Grand Veneur, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc, La Fontaine
• Grand Veneur, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge
• Grand Veneur, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Les Origines
• Grand Veneur, Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, Vieilles Vignes
• Domaine Grand Veneur, Marc de Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Annual production:
- Cotes du Rhone Villages CHAMPAUVINS : +/- 9,000 cases
- Lirac Rouge CLOS DE SIXTE : +/- 5,000 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge Grand veneur : 3,300 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Grand veneur : 400 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape LES ORIGINES red : 1,700 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape LA FONTAINE white : 300 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape VIEILLES VIGNES : 530 cases