Domaine Grand Veneur Les Champauvins Côtes Du Rhône 2010, Ac, Rhône, France

This wine is a blend of mostly Grenache at 80% and Syrah with the remaining 20%, soil type is clay-gravel soil covered with rolled stones, wine is lightly filtered and alcohol comes in at 14.5%.

Pouring a deep purple in color, this Rhône blend opened up with aromas of blueberry-plummy fruit, new leather, vanilla, licorice, dried herbs and spicy notes. On the mouthfeel, medium bodied, dry, delicious forward fruit and spicy flavours, fresh acidity and well integrated tannins. Loads of energy and length on the finish with blueberry-plum puree fruit and spicy notes lingering. Les Champauvins 2010 is showing well right now, an easy drinking wine, made in a crowd pleasing style and at this price, a great value. Strongly recommended, score 90 points.

Purchased February 2, 2013 LCBO Vintages New Release (76331) at $18.95

Alain Jaune & Fils Terrasses de Montmirail Gigondas 2009, Rhône, France

 

The majority component of this blend is Grenache with 80% with the remaining 20% Syrah. The Grenache sure comes through on the nose with attractive aromas of plum, cassis, raisins, exotic spices, floral, vanilla and light cedar notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied (with alcohol coming in at 14.5%), savoury spices and ripe berry flavours, balanced acidity and silky tannins. Very good length on the finish, seamless texture with ripe spicy berries flavours lingering.

 

This is definitely the style of Rhône blend I enjoy the most, with a high proportion of Grenache, with little or no Mourvèdre. The biggest strength of this Gigondas for me is its mouthfeel, so smooth and very stylish. I have always enjoyed wines from Alain Jaune & Fils, you can sense the attention to details in every one of their wines, like Domaine Grand Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac 2009, reviewed on my blog in November 2011. If you ever have the opportunity to taste their Châteauneuf-du-Pape, do not miss out, an absolute treat. As for Alain Jaune & Fils Terrasses de Montmirail Gigondas 2009, a very enjoyable wine and strongly recommended, score 92 points.

Purchased at the SAQ (11095973) in Montréal December 2, 2011 at $27.40



Domaine Grand Veneur Clos de Sixte Lirac 2009, Rhône, France

What a beautiful wine here, a real Southern Rhône charmer. The Lirac 2009 Clos de Sixte is a blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre, its smell like a Châteauneuf-du-Pape yet very approachable right now. On the nose, I definitely get the Grenache aromas, ripe raspberry, wild strawberry, violets, savoury spices and loads of licorice. Medium to full body with alcohol coming in at 15%, but this wine is so well balanced the alcohol is barely noticeable, the acidity is crisp with silky tannins. The wine finish is long, spicy with strawberry jam flavours and lots of licorice. This wine just blew me away, so well balanced with great aromatics and how spicy, fresh and lively the mouthfeel was. Great value and strongly recommended.

This wine was purchased September 17, 2011 LCBO New Release at $23.95.