Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Rouge Reserve is made from 60% Grenache Noir, 35% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.
The colour is purple-tinged garnet.The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) to spices.The palate is big and full-flavoured, with silky-smooth tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. The finish introduces touches of liquorice and pepper. A Côtes du Rhône with great complexity for an every day drinking.
A classic Rhône to drink between 1 and 4 years.
Review:
"A juicy red-fruited wine, this has interesting edges of green olive and clove. The silky texture and crisp acidity help the palate glide between ripe fruits, savory and mineral elements. Delicious. - Anna-Christina Cabrales"
- Wine Enthusiast (October 2023), 92 pts
Grand Veneur Cotes du Rhone Rouge Reserve is made from 60% Grenache Noir, 35% Syrah and 5% Cinsault.
The colour is purple-tinged garnet.The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) to spices.The palate is big and full-flavoured, with silky-smooth tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. The finish introduces touches of liquorice and pepper. A Côtes du Rhône with great complexity for an every day drinking.
A classic Rhône to drink between 1 and 4 years.
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Blanc Reserve is made from 50% Roussanne, 40% Viognier, 10% Clairette
Pale yellow colour, brilliant with a gold tinge. Primary aroma of flowers and stone fruit. On the palate, the fruit is immediately present with touches of almond and white peach. A slight liveliness appears in the finish, which creates a perfect balance for the natural generosity of this wine.
To consume young in order to preserve the fruitness typicity. Could age 2-3 years
Direct press, fermentation in temperature controlled stainless-steel vats. Early bottling 6 months after harvest.
Excellent with fish, seafood.
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Les Champauvins is made of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre
Intense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a "baby Châteauneuf" than a Côtes du Rhône.
A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.
Les Champauvins” stretches on 34 ha classified in Côtes du Rhône. The plots are located in the northern border of Châteauneuf du Pape, exactly from 3 meters outside the appellation. It is located in the lieux dits of "Champauvins" and "Coudoulet". A small lane of rocks going through the rocky plateaux has been decided to be the AOC limit in 1936. Here, soils are made of red clay and rocks (pebbled stones of quartz). The quantity of rocks can be amazing as they can completely cover the soil. In summer and during the day, the rocks temperature will increase to 55°C. This accumulated heat will be get back to the vines during nights. Day after day, this unique phenomenon allow the grapes to reach a perfect maturity and produce a unique wine.
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Les Champauvins is made of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre
Intense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a "baby Châteauneuf" than a Côtes du Rhône.
A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.
Drink between 1 and 6 years.
Soil type DOMAINE GRAND VENEUR “Les Champauvins” stretches on 34 ha classified in Côtes du Rhône. The plots are located in the northern border of Châteauneuf du Pape, exactly from 3 meters outside the appellation. A small lane of rocks going through the rocky plateaux has been decided to be the AOC limit in 1936. Here, soils are made of red clay and rocks (pebbled stones of quartz). The quantity of rocks can be amazing as they can completely cover the soil (see picture). In summer and during the day, the rocks temperature will increase to 55°C. This accumulated heat will be get back to the vines during nights . Day after day, this unique phenomenon allow the grapes to reach a perfect maturity and produce a unique wine. Winemaking & Ageing Traditional, in stainless steel vats. Harvest crushed and destemmed. Fermentation in temperature controlled vats at 28°C. Eighteen-day vating period with “pigeage”. Grenache is aged in concrete vats, Syrah and mourvèdre in 4 years old barrelsntense, brilliant garnet-red colour. It reveals lovely fruit, loads of body and a heady bouquet of ground peppers, raspberries cherry liqueur, currants, and spice box. Full-bodied and dense, it tastes more like a “baby Châteauneuf” than a Côtes du Rhône. A complete wine, rich and elegant, thanks to the harmony of all the elements which make it up.
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Viognier Blanc is made from 100% Viognier.
Soil: clay/sand with limestone.
Yield: 38 Hl / hectare
Hand-picked harvest. Vinification in stainless steel vats at a controlled temperature of 18°C.
Bottled early, 6 months after the harvest.
The color is clear and brilliant. A very intense nose of flowers, white peach and pear. On the palate, aromas are expressed with balance and an amazing freshness. A great example of Rhone white, single grape "Viognier".
To be enjoyed young, but can age for 3-5 years.
Soil types
Located next to the single vineyard “Les Champauvins”, nearby the Domaine Grand Veneur. Soils are made of clay and sand with limestone.
Winemaking & aging
Hand-picked harvest. Fermentation in temperature-controled vats. Early bottling, 6 months after harvest.
Grand Veneur Cotes Du Rhone Rouge Reserve 2012 is made from 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault
Vinification: destemming and crushing. Temperature controlled fermentation at 30°C. Vatting for 10 to 12 days.
Purple-tinged garnet color. Aromas of fresh berries (wild raspberry, blackcurrant, blackberry) and spices. The palate is full-flavored, with silky-smooth tannins. The finish offers notes of licorice and pepper. Classic Cotes du Rhone style.
"Along the same lines, yet slightly richer, the Alain Jaume 2012 Cotes du Rhone Reserve gives up more dark fruit, graphite and earthy notes to go with a medium-bodied, rich and beautifully textured feel on the palate. It, too, should dish out plenty of pleasure over the coming couple of years and represents a superb value. Drink now-2017. -JD"
- Wine Advocate (Issue #209, October 2013), 89 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:
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
Made from 50% chenin blanc and 50% chardonnay
It is an interesting experience as a sparkling wine for people who want to have a fine and elegant wine comparable to Champagne for a very good price.
This methode traditionnelle sparkling wine is aged for minimum 18-24 months in cave before disgorging. The dosage is 12 g/l residual sugar and the wine is aged for minimum 3 months after disgorging .
Review:
"The two sparkling wines should not be missed. They're both terrific examples of how good sparkling Vouvray can be. Both are 100% Chenin Blanc cuvees. Even better is the slightly richer, more honey and lemon-scented and flavored non-vintage Cremant de Loire. A blend of equal parts Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay aged for a minimum of 18 to 24 months in their cellars before disgorgement, this is a real beauty and a superb wine. Unfortunately, just under 100 cases are imported to the United States." -Wine Advocate 92 pts
Chateau de Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc is made from 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache Blanc and Clairette, 10% Piquepoul Blanc, Picardan and Bourboulenc
The story :
The production of white wine at Beaucastel is limited as we only have 7 hectares of white vines planted. The main variety is Roussanne, representing 80% of the blend.
The vintage :
The 2020 vintage in Southern Rhône was favoured by very good weather conditions, it is a generous vintage, both in terms of quality and quantity. Not as hot as in 2019, this year was very windy, throughout the growing cycle, with light rainfalls. After a fairly mild winter (one single episode of frost was noted during the night of March 24, but only the early ripening plots were very slightly affected). The spring was radiant, quite warm and very windy, which allowed the soils to preserve their freshness. Flowering began on May 18, under very healthy conditions. The good weather continued in June, July and August, with plenty heat but lower temperatures than in 2019, cool and humid nights and wind which continued to blow, preserving the freshness of the vines and maintaining perfect sanitary conditions for the grapes. The harvest, which was fairly early, therefore began under these very good conditions on August 26 with the white Côtes-du-Rhône and continued until the end of September with the Mourvèdre. September was warm at the beginning of the month and then more temperate, offering idyllic harvest conditions and allowed each plot to be harvested at perfect maturity. The harvest was very healthy with beautiful juicy and very ripe grapes, reasonable alcohol levels, good acidity and already a great balance. Yields are slightly higher than 2019 and the first tastings predict a very nice vintage.
Location :
Château de Beaucastel has 7 hectares of white varieties.
Terroir :
Molasse seabed of the Miocene period covered by diluvial alpine deposits (rolled pebbles).
Ageing :
Handpicked in small cases, sorting of the grapes, pneumatic pressing, settling of the juice, fermentation (30% in oak barrels, 70% in tanks) for 8 months. Bottling after 8 months.
Review:
Honeycomb oak on the nose, then quite a broad and generous palate. Sappy acidity, although not as high as some white Châteauneufs this year, and a long finish. This has a good sense of lightness, drinkability and balance. The oak is quite forthright for now, so give this some time to come together. 80% Roussanne, 10% Grenache and Clairette, plus 10% of Piquepoul Blanc, Picardan and Bourboulenc. Part of the blend was matured in two- and three-year-old barriques for a year.
-Decanter 96 Points
The aging is as Mounir ages his Burgundies: extremely long, never racked, no fining, no filtration. It would be easy to say that we expected the experience running one of Burgundy’s leading producers, Lucien Le Moine, would show in Mounir’s wines. But the actual results need to be tasted to be believed and understood: a wine with beguiling fruit and savory richness, yet extraordinary finesse and detail.
Mounir Saouma likes to describe Châteauneuf-du-Pape as a mosaic, with all the wild traditions and differences together making for very different interpretations. Omnia, Latin for “all,” is his attempt to encompass the entire region’s terroir and winemaking history (and perhaps future) in one glass. The fruit comes from 9 vineyard parcels across all 5 of the Châteauneuf communes, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Courthezon, Sorgues, Bedarrides and Orange (in early vintages, when the Saoumas did not have all the vineyards they have today, they would purchase fruit; today, Rotem & Mounir Saouma is 100% Estate). The wine is then vinified and aged in foudres, cement and 500 liter barrels – a little bit of everything.
2019 was another warm and dry vintage in the southern Rhône, marked by insistent drought and repeated heat waves during the season. With little disease pressure or frost, the crop was close to normal size, but bunch and berry-size was reduced during the growing season by the lack of water. The grapes were thus concentrated and rich in sugar and acidity, although potential alcohol levels were often quite high. Vineyards at higher elevations – Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas in particular — handled the heat better, and the wines from those AOPs are rich yet also remarkably fresh and energetic. Despite the initial concerns about the growing season, 2019 looks to be a watershed vintage in the Southern Rhône, producing rich wines with exceptional concentration and aging potential
Inviting aromas of sliced strawberries, red cherries and rose. Full-bodied with vibrant acidity and succulent fruit. Fine, structured tannins are vertically aligned with the fruit. More dark-fruited than the nose lets on and entirely delicious. I love the subtle spice here.
-James Suckling 94 Points
Very refined, with silky and fine-grained structure carrying alluring bergamot, rooibos tea, incense, dried cherry and lightly mulled raspberry notes along. A long sanguine thread weaves through the finish. Hard to resist now with so much charm, but this will benefit from cellaring. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre.
-Wine Spectator 94 Points