Country, Region: France, Rhone Valley
Appellation: Chateauneuf-du-Pape
Average age of vines about 60 y.o. in sandy north-facing soil in north-west of appellation. 85% Grenache, 5% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Vaccarese. Vinified 100% whole-bunch, all raised in concrete tanks for 18-21 months, fined, unfiltered.
'gentle red robe; the nose is emerging on a restrained red stone fruited expression, rosemary and a note of cracked pepper pepping it up. The palate is cool and flowing, the oiliness of texture pleasing, gathers a little knot of damson plum concentration towards the finish. It’s artfully handled to achieve this harmony of approach, the winemaking restrained, successful. The rounded finish takes in dried herbs with a smoky register on the aftertaste. It gives a good picture of its place, vineyards flanked by pine trees. From mid-2025. 2042-44’ John Livingstone-Learmonth, drinkrhone.com, Feb 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.