2011 Domaine Grand Veneur Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Looking at the 2011s, all of which are certainly solid in the vintage, the forward, up-front and nicely textured Grand Veneur 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape delivers loads of black raspberry, toast, licorice and spice-box to go with a medium-bodied, supple and polished feel on the palate. There’s not a whole lot of back-end depth here, and it should be consumed early in its life, but it’s perfectly balanced, has loads of character and is hard to resist. While delicious now, it should hit prime time in another 2-3 years and evolve gracefully through 2021. Drink 2015-2021. Covering 30 acres in Chateauneuf du Pape (over 100 acres in Cotes du Rhone, Lirac, Vacqueyras and Gigondas), Domaine Grand Veneur is run by the incredibly talented Sebastien and Christophe Jaume. The style here, if looked at as a whole, is more traditional than not, with plenty of tank and stainless steel, yet their Chateauneuf du Papes are distinctly modern and spent plenty of time in small barrels. However, they never lose their Southern Rhone typicity, have gorgeous purity and also possess balanced, age-worthy profiles. These are some of the most exciting wines coming out of the region and they should not be missed! Note: the estate bottlings are released under the Domaine Grand Veneur label, and the negociant wines are released under the Alain Jaume et Fils label. The 2012 whites from the Jaume brothers are incredibly strong. Importer: Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722-9228

Bright ruby. Fresh red berries and flowers on the fragrant nose. Juicy and light on its feet, offering gently sweet raspberry and cherry flavors and an exotic touch of candied rose. Finishes clean and bright, spicy and long.

Dark crimson. Luscious and sweet and round. Lots of treacly impact. Dry tannins on the finish. Some power and energy. Just a bit bitter on the end. (JR)