| Region | |
|---|---|
| Subregion | France > Rhône > Southern Rhône > Châteauneuf-du-Pape |
| Colour | Red |
| Type | Still |
The newest special cuvee (introduced in 2006) is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah). Made from 50- to 100+-year-old vines and aged 18 months in small oak barrels, it is potentially one of the longest lived wines of the vintage. This exquisite, dense purple-colored effort reveals intense but restrained notes of cassis, kirsch, lavender, licorice, and graphite. A wine of great intensity as well as remarkable finesse and elegance, is a full-bodied Chateauneuf that will require plenty of patience. Give it 3-4 years of bottle age, and drink it over the following 25-30.
The newest baby, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes, is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Mourvedre, and 10% Syrah. All of these wines are from the estate-s three major holdings in the northern part of the appellation, on the high plateau of Mont Redon and Cabrieres, and in the northeastern sector, near Beaucastel. The 2007 Vieilles Vignes represents the essence of Chateauneuf du Pape. Inky/purple to the rim, with extraordinary full-bodied aromas of roasted porcini, meat juices, blackberries, cassis, smoke, and grilled herbs, it is intense to the point of almost over-extraction, but it has no rough edges. It possesses great purity, an amazing texture, and a massive, full-bodied finish with noticeable tannin. Because of its high percentage of Mourvedre and Syrah, it requires 6-7 years of bottle age, and should keep for 30-35 years. This estate, owned by the Jaume family, has been on fire over the last decade. The wines are made in a polished, civilized, modern style, but they do not lack Provencal or Chateauneuf du Pape typicity. In 2006, they added a third cuvee of Chateauneuf du Pape, an old vine cuvee that was mostly all Grenache in 2006, but a different blend in 2007. The real bargain among the Chateauneuf du Papes is their traditional offering. Over the last 4-5 years, Grand Veneur has produced a bevy of terrific Cotes du Rhones, and the following two cuvees are indicative of what they are capable of achieving.
