2023 Grand Veneur - Cotes du Rhone Les Champauvins (750ml)

Named for its terroir bordering Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just 3 meters outside the appellation line, Les Champauvins sits on the same red clay and rounded quartz pebbles that define its more famous neighbor. Those stones absorb daytime heat and release it back to the vines overnight, pushing the fruit toward a level of ripeness rare for a Côtes du Rhône. A blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre, hand-harvested and destemmed, fermented in temperature-controlled vats over an 18-day vatting period with pigeage, then aged in concrete (Grenache) and 4-year-old barrels (Syrah and Mourvèdre). Expect an intense, brilliant garnet color with a heady bouquet of ground pepper, raspberry, cherry liqueur, currant, and spice box, full-bodied and dense enough that critics regularly call it a "baby Châteauneuf." A genuine overachiever from one of the Southern Rhône's most consistently well-regarded estates.

Region: Côtes du Rhône, Rhône, France
Producer: Domaine Grand Veneur (Alain Jaume)
Cuvée: Les Champauvins
Grape Blend: 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre
Vintage: 2023
Bottle Size: 750ml