I had the pleasure of tasting this bottling from Alain Jaume at an event the other night, coming back around the room and sampling it twice just to make sure. 

Hailing from the Southern Rhone, this wine is a Cotes du Rhone Villages, a step up from the generic Cotes du Rhone wines. These bottlings of ‘Villages’ are frequently found here in the US as they can represent some of the best values in the market and are priced less than a Gigondas or a Chateauneuf du Pape wine.  However, as with all wines, producers do matter and Alain Jaume delivers quality.

Visually, the wine was dark ruby in color with a solid core.  On the nose, a good dose of black cherry, blackberry, lavender, and tobacco leaf with a bit of peppery spice presented. On the palate, the wine was full bodied and concentrated with good red and black fruits and that Southern Rhone garrique element…lavender, spice and sun kissed rocks.  There are tannins present with medium acidity which helps to bring all the elements together.  The finish lingers.  A very tasty wine!

This is a GSM blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre.  I found it locally at these sellers:

K&L Wine Merchants      $ 19.99

The Wine Steward       $ 25.99  (discount given on case sales)

Total Wine     $ 23.99  (discount given on purchase of 6 wines)

If you are looking for a rock-solid wine for the Holidays, this will deliver a lot of flavor and body at a modest price. 

Established in the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, in the commune of Orange, the Jaume family has been dedicated to the art of wine growing since 1826. Founded by Mathieu Jaume, the Domaine is now run by the 5th and 6th generations of Jaumes: Alain Jaume & his children Christophe, Sébastien, and Hélène.

Sante!

Sudsy