Established in the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Jaume family has been making wine since 1826 when Mathieu Jaume started harvesting grapes. Since 1979, Alain Jaume has run the Domaine, now with the help of his two sons, Sébastien and Christophe, and daughter Helene. Vignobles Alain-Jaume continues to be one of Kysela’s top producers.
Winemaking in this region dates back to the 14th century when the papal see was moved to Avignon. A papal castle, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, was built to house seven successive popes between 1309 and 1377. Impressed by the area’s exceptional terroir surrounding the castle, Pope Jean XXII planted the first vines of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 1320. Interestingly, the wine that gave Châteauneuf-du-Pape its original reputation was the white and not the red. The white wine was a favorite of Pope Innocent VI.
Today the castle is now an historic monument in Avignon, and the papacy is based in Rome’s Vatican City. But the pope’s coat of arms displayed on the bottles of Châteauneuf-du-Pape still remains, and the wines are still more or less produced in the same manner as when the popes first pressed their juice.
The estate is located in the commune of Orange on the northern border of the southern Rhone, and consists of 90 hectares (225 acres) covering different appellations: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes-du-Rhône 'Les Champauvins' & Côtes-du-Rhône, Lirac and Vacqueyras. Estate labels include Grand Veneur, Clos de Sixte and Château Mazane. A third label is under Negociant Alain Jaume and include the following AOC's: Rasteau, Vacqueyras, Gigondas, Cairanne, Ventoux.
Production figures for the Estate label (Alain Jaume's own vineyards):
- Cotes du Rhone Champauvins: 9,000 cases
- Lirac Rouge Domaine du Clos de Sixte: 5,000 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge Grand Veneur: 3,300 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Grand Veneur: 400 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape Les Origines red: 1,700 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape La Fontaine white: 300 cases
- Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes: 530 cases
- Vacqueyras Chateau Mazane: 1,300 cases
Both Grand Veneur and Clos de Sixte vineyards are grown in accordance with certified organic agricultural practices. The soils are maintained exclusively by light plowing and fertilized with vegetal compost. The vines are only sprayed when there are justified risks to the health of the vines, and only organic-permitted treatments are used. Yields are low, or kept under control by green-harvesting. This method, carried out by hand in summer, provides optimum sun exposure for the best clusters and enables the winery to be selective on both quantity and quality of the grapes. Harvesting is by hand, from pruning the leaves to aerate the clusters to picking and sorting grapes and selecting only the best to press.
Once grapes are hand sorted, they are immediately transferred to the cellar to be crushed, de-stemmed and cooled before being placed in vats. Following a careful maturation, the wines undergo only a light clarification to allow unique terroir characteristics of each wine to remain.
Among the 13 grapes grown on the estate properties, six stand out
The Reds
The trio of Black Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre is blended to produce the range of red wines; each adding depth and character personality to the wine:
Black Grenache constitutes the backbone of the wine, bringing both suppleness and richness
Syrah intensifies the aroma, tannins and deep purple color
Mouvedre adds complexity with ripe black fruit aromas, refined tannins and greater aging potential
Red wines are aged in underground temperature controlled cellars at 59º F for 14 months. Grenache is aged in thick concrete vats to preserve the subtle aromas yet powerful flavors of the fruit. Syrah and Mouvedre are aged in French oak barrels to soften the tannins and enhance the black fruit aromas and spice finish. Stored in good condition, these red wines will benefit from longer aging, While many will show well after three years in bottle, some of the single vineyards and old vine wines may show well for 30-40 years. Natural sediments that may appear when decanting these wines is a sign of their richness and vitality
The Whites
The white grape varietals are like three muses working in harmony to create classic white Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines
Clairette brings freshness and elegance, together with aromas of dried fruit and delicate floral notes
Roussanne offers headier aromas of honey, quince, and gives the wines their full-bodied character and a spicy richness on the palate
Viognier, known for its aromatic qualities, imparts subtle notes of pear and white peach and adds a delightful freshness to this delicious white wine.
"The Jaume family continues to releases a massive lineup of high quality wines from throughout the Southern Rhône. In 2013 they purchased the Chateau Mazane estate in Vacqueyras, and while a large portion of their Vacqueyras Grande Garrigue came from this estate, they now also release a 100% estate Vacqueyras Chateau Mazane that’s all from the new property. It’s a cellar selection over the Grande Garrigue and sees a slightly different élevage, but I find the quality between the two cuvees similar. The only other new change is the addition of the Le Miocène label to their traditional red and white Châteauneuf du Pape releases. Le Miocène translates to “beginning of an era”, but there is no change to the actual wine. At the end of the day, you can’t go wrong here and the portfolio is packed with both quality and value. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue 221, October 2015)
"This estate, under the leadership of Sebastien and Christophe Jaume, continues to be one of the reference point producers for relatively modern styled Châteauneuf du Papes. In addition to their top tier efforts, the portfolio is loaded with smoking values at just about every price point. I've listed domaine wines under Domaine Grand Veneur, and the negociant wines under Alain Jaume, which I believe might also include some vineyards owned by the Jaume family as well. Regardless, the quality here is superb across the range. In addition, they've excelled in both 2012 and 2013. - Jeb Dunnuck"
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.
Wine Advocate (Issue #209, October 2013)
Great bargains continue to emerge from Domaine Grand Veneur as well as from their negociant arm of the business, labeled Alain Jaume
Wine Advocate (Issue #195, June 2011)
Pale yellow color with hints of green, aromas of white flowers (may blossom, honeysuckle).
The palate is pleasantly balanced between liveliness and roundness, which brings out characteristics of dried apricot, honey and elderberry. A Châteauneuf du Pape white displaying a great finesse.
Best between 1 and 8 years.
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Item Number | Unit | Units/Case | Type | UPC - bottle | SCC - case | SRP/Unit |
F1EE137239RWM | 750ml | 12 | Glass | 7 84585 00044 9 | 1 07 84585 00044 6 | $46.99 |
Soil types
Soils are made of clay-sand and limestone. Thanks to the northern orientation, the soil is always very well aerated, allowing Roussane and Clairette to mature in great conditions without losing freshness, which is a key point in obtaining high quality grapes.
Winemaking & aging
Whole-bunch pressing. Vinification in stainless-steel tanks. Fermentation temperature controlled at 15°C.
"This estate makes two brilliant whites. Notes of citrus blossom, white peach, and tangerine all emerge from the 2016 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Le Miocène, and it's balanced, clean, and medium-bodied. Drink it over the coming couple of years. This cuvée is 60% Clairette and 40% Roussanne."
- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2017), 91 pts
"A 60-40 blend of Clairette and Roussanne, the 2016 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc Le Miocene is a crisp, clean, fresh interpretation of the appellation. It's medium to full-bodied, with pristine notes of melon and citrus that come to a refreshing, lime-tinged finish. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue 233, October 2017), 90 pts
"Limpid straw-yellow. Aromas of ripe orange, pear nectar and honey pick up a hint of fennel with air. Smooth and seamless on the palate, showing very good depth and heft to the pliant citrus and orchard fruit flavors. Rich and creamy yet vibrant as well, thanks to a spine of juicy acidity. Lingers impressively, leaving behind notes of tangerine and poached pear. - Josh Raynolds"
- Vinous ("Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc: Moving Out of the Shadows ", June 2017), 91 pts
"Their 2015 Châteauneuf du Pape Le Miocène Blanc is their classic cuvée and is 60% Clairette and 40% Roussanne, all from the Cabrières lieu-dit, and I believe raised mostly in stainless steel. It’s fresh, crisp and classy, with medium-bodied notes of spiced apples, citrus blossom and honeysuckle. Drink this elegant, beautifully pure white over the coming 2-3 years. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue 227, October 28th 2016), 90 pts
"White Châteauneuf is not that common, and if you can find this you'll shock your friends in a blind tasting ..."
- Decanter (Fine wine for Christmas – Châteauneuf-du-Pape, November 26th 2016), 93 pts
"The 'Le Miocene' Blanc is a relativly new project from the Jaume family started back in 2013, made from a blend of 50% Clairette, 30% Roussanne and 20% Grenache Blanc. It offers vibrant aromas of bright with aromas of white flowers, citrus and fresh mineral. This shows impressive balance and weight through the palate into the long, fresh, and acidic finish. Drinking well now but will get even better as it evolves with some bottle age. (Best 2016-2027) - M.D."
- International Wine Report (September 2015), 92 pts
"Stylish, with a caressing brioche hint that underscores the core of creamed yellow apple, white peach and almond flavors. The long finish lets the fruit play out. Drink now through 2016.—J.M."
- Wine Spectator 's Insider (June 25th 2015), 91 pts
"While this estate's reds get most of the glory, they produce a number of high-quality whites. The 2013 Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc, which is made from 60% Roussanne and 40% Clairette, is lively, fresh and focused, with firm apple blossom, citrus, lime and hints of minerality. It shows the freshness of the vintage, yet still has solid depth and richness to its fruit. It will be better in another six months or so and have 3-4 years of prime drinking. I've no doubt it will evolve for much longer as well if you're so inclined. - Jeb Dunnuck"
- Robert Parker's The Wine Advocate (Issue 215, October 2014), 91 pts
"The Grand Veneur 2012 Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc offers excellent mineral, white peach, flowers and citrus blossom in its beautifully focused, elegant personality. Showing both richness and freshness, it’s a superb Southern Rhone white to drink over the coming handful of years. Drink now-2016.- JD"
Wine Advocate (Issue #209, October 2013), 91 pts
Go To Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc
"As for the Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc, the 2011 (60% Clairette and 40% Roussanne) reveals copious aromas of honeysuckle, white flowers, quince and white currants in a delicious, medium to full-bodied style. This lively, crisp beauty should be enjoyed over the next several years."
Wine Advocate (Issue #203, October 2012), 92 pts
Go To Grand Veneur Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc