Domaine Grand Veneur - Châteauneuf du Pape Rouge 'Vieilles Vignes' - 2018

Domaine Grand Veneur, Châteauneuf du Pape Rouge ‘Vieilles Vignes’ 2019

£76.50 (75cl)

Only 6 left in stock

SKU: RHGV0719B

About the wine

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About the producer

Mathieu Jaume founded the domaine in 1826. Christophe and Sébastien Jaume have now taken over from their father Alain and have carefully expanded the domaine. Located in the commune of Orange and comprising 75 hectares of vines, it covers four different appellations: Châteauneuf du Pape, Côtes du Rhône Villages, Côtes du Rhône and Lirac.
As of 2012, the estate has been certified organic. The vineyards are planted with a mixture of Grenache Noir, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne and Clairette, with some of the vines approaching 90 years of age. The terroir here is classic Châteauneuf, with a sub soil of marine sandstone covered by Alpine deluvium or galets roulés. The soils are cultivated by light ploughing and sustained by natural compost. Yields are low, or kept under control by green harvesting during the summer, which allows the Jaumes to be selective not only in terms of quantity, but also quality, by favouring those clusters which are best exposed.

Harvesting is carried out manually, whilst a triage in the vineyard earmarks the best grapes before they are transported to the winery, where the grapes are destemmed, lightly crushed and clarified by natural sedimentation. For the white grapes, the fermentation using wild yeasts is controlled at 18oC, in order to preserve the fresh aromatics.
The red grapes undergo a cold maceration before being fermented with wild yeasts at 28-32oC, with the objective of enriching the must with the right amount of aroma, colour and tannin. The vinification process lasts 18 to 20 days with regular pigeage. The wines are then matured in a combination of vats and oak casks for at least 18 months, with a final assemblage taking place in January.

The range is exceptional and equally superb in white as in red. ‘La Fontaine’ is consistently one of the best white Châteauneuf and ‘Les Origines’ delivers the appropriate class for a premium cuvée with many international accolades, spending 18 months in new oak. There is no weak wine here and the well-priced Côtes du Rhône is produced from a vineyard situated only metres away from the famous Château Beaucastel.



Robert Parker Wine Advocate (robertparker.com):

I was blown away by the prospective blend I tasted of the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes. Already delicious, it combines raspberries and cherries with vanilla cream and baking spices. Full-bodied, rich and velvety, it shows great length and freshness, ending in hints of garrigue and licorice. (Joe Czerwinski) Points: 96 - 98. Issue Date: 30/08/2019

Regions Vintage Report:

A year defined by a very wet spring but a warm and dry summer with very different results. The whites have generally less alcohol and are successful across the region while the reds, more affected by the climate, express a multitude of styles. Once again the yields were low and a few producers hardly made any wine! The North The region wasn’t as badly affected by the rain and being located on steep hills many of the best vineyards have great drainage potential. There was a little mildew but quite limited compared to the South and the yields are correct. The whites are fresher than 2017, rich, aromatic but with good tension. The reds are concentrated but balanced with enough structure to guarantee ageing. Their ripeness makes them charming and very appealing already but, thanks to the concentration due to the relatively low yields, they are not light and the best examples will age very well. Overall it’s an extremely good vintage with a few exceptional wines. The South The year was complicated: the rain started late March and didn’t stop until June. Working in the vineyards was very difficult; treating against the diseases like mildew was a real challenge that many organic but also conventional producers lost resulting in very low yields. Some vineyards and appellations were more affected, especially when there is a large clay content in the soil. Fortunately the summer was dry, quite hot, and the healthier vines produced nicely ripened fruit. The wines are generally charming and very appealing now without a huge concentration of tannins but they have good balance and enough structure to age, especially for the better vineyards and the east of the region, less affected by the weather. Knowing about the difficulties encountered by the producers I was pleasantly surprised by the high quality of the wines, many showing delicate and charming styles with early potential. They are not as rich and powerful as the 2015, 2016 and some of the 2017 vintages but will be more satisfying to many drinkers, especially when consumed young as it so often happens.Christian Honorez, Director February 2020©adVINture 2020

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