Domaine Charvin Côtes du Rhône Damon 2023

New 2.2 ha plot for the domaine which came from relatives who managed to pursuade Laurent to purchase this old family plot which adjoins existing family vineyards at the top of the hill towards Mont-Redon right up to the treeline in the lieu-dit Maucoil. Planted 80 years ago by Elie who was Laurents grandfather, hence the line at the bottom of the label “Elie en revait…“ meaning Elie dreamed of it…

This higher site slopes to the north so has a slightly cooler exposition and since 2021 has been in conversion to organic viticulture and planted with 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah with a tiny bit of Carignan on a 'warm terroir' of clay with large galets roulee pudding stones. This cuvee is also 100% whole-bunch and is raised in concrete vats and is bottled 6 months earlier than the classic Le Poutet cuvee of Côtes du Rhône. Deeper colour and shows brighter acidity this cuvee is sufficiently different to Le Poutet to warrant it being given its own identity and own label.

Review for the 2022 vintage:
'2022 Côtes-du-Rhône “Damon” from Domaine Charvin is also an old vine cuvée. This parcel of vines lies next to the domaine and was planted by Laurent Charvin’s grandfather eighty years ago, but had been sold off to another producer and was only recently reacquired by the Charvin family a couple of years ago. The cépages is ninety percent grenache and ten percent a field blend of other grapes. The 2022 ... offers up a deep, bright and complex nose of black raspberries, fruitcake, smoked meats, pepper, garrigue, stony soil tones and a smoky topnote. On the palate the wine is deep, complex, full-bodied and really very nicely balanced ... with a superb core of old vine fruit, lovely soil undertow, ripe, well-integrated tannins and superb length and grip on the complex finish. This really drinks like a top flight Châteauneuf du Pape! 2030-2055+.' 91 Points, John Gilman, View From The Cellar, October 2024.

Domaine Charvin

Laurent Charvin runs this small family estate located in the north of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The domaine has vineyard holdings of just 8 hectares in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and 13 hectares in Cotes du Rhone. The average age of the vineyards is over 50 years old with the oldest being nearly 80 years of age. Laurent Charvin describes his vineyard site as being cool for Chateauneuf as their vines are mostly planted on sandy north facing slopes. Certified organic.

Charvin produces finely styled Grenache based wines showing great depth and finesse (approximately 80% Grenache for each wine with small amounts of Vacaresse and Mourvedre as well as small amounts of Carignan and Bourboulenc for the Cotes du Rhone). Winemaking is traditional with no de-stemming and all ageing is done in cement tanks. No wood is used for the elevage of either wine. There are no secrets here, simply old vines, very low yields and minimal winemaking intervention. The Cotes du Rhone is regularly rated as one of the very best from this area and perhaps it is not surprising as the vines for this cuvee border directly on to the appellation for Chateauneuf du Pape in the northern sector where they are located.