TN: 2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Villages Les Champauvins

Jorge_Henriquez · June 29, 2009, 2:57pm

2007 Domaine Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Villages Les Champauvins - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages (6/27/2009)
Soft and plummy. Simple notes of strawberry, red currants and sweet plum. On the palate it has some pleasing bread yeast flavors along with some milk chocolate notes. Quite a simple quaffer. (84 pts.)

Jeff_Bloom · June 29, 2009, 3:36pm

I agree this is a simple quaffer, but I would probably give it a few more points. Not the best out there, because there are a lot of good CdRs in 2007, but I have found this enjoyable a few times now.

Jorge_Henriquez · June 29, 2009, 8:34pm

Jeff,

As you said, there are better 07 CdRs out there. Again, this is where points screw things up; if you see the CT scale, an 84 is the top end of “Good (80-84)”. I simply compared it to other recent CdRs that I’ve had and it came up short.

Jeff_Bloom · June 30, 2009, 1:51am

No quibble, just different strokes. I’d give it a bit better than good.

Mark_Cochard · July 2, 2009, 1:23pm

Jorge,
I grabbed some of this when you posted about the Zachy’s sale. It showed up yesterday. I grabbed one to see what it was like especially after your 84 . Took it to dinner. We had a bunch of really good wines, APVin07 Turner Pinot Noir, Williams Selyem 07 RRV Pinot Noir, another Pinot from Patagonia, 05’ Turley Dusi Zin, 93’ Gaja VdT Merlot, Vino de Meal Douro, along with a bunch of other suff I can’t remember, 18 wines for 5 of us. We are pretty much light weights, but the CdRV was smoking. It was the least expensive bottle of the night and when I mentioned the 84 they all choked. This was so much better than that score. I need to know what are the other wines that are so much better. Again thanks for the heads so I could cop some of this. Oh, BTW they all want to take some of it off my hands .

Jorge_Henriquez · July 2, 2009, 1:37pm

Mark,

Glad I could be of some use. I am surprised, to say the least, that the Champauvins edged out most of the other wines you had at dinner. Again, I didn’t dislike it per se…I just thought that in comparison to, say, the Garrigue Cuvee Romaine it came up a little short and sweet. That was all. Hey, I better like it somewhat, seeing as I’m sitting on 11 more bottles.

Mark_Cochard · July 2, 2009, 3:17pm

It wasn’t that it out performed the other wines we just liked it alot.

Arv_R · February 28, 2021, 1:23am

I have been drinking a bottle of the 07 Grand Veneur ‘Champauvins’ [Cotes du Rhone] the last two nights. I had not thought I had any CdR from the vintage left, but this - and a lonely Charvin - had somehow evaded the cellar scythe over the years. It was summoned to replace a too tart Ribeira Sacra, and did a good job, being drunk without warming/decanting. This is 15% abv, but doesn’t feel cloying, heavy. The nose was better on day one, but still shows some cinnamon, hazelnuts. The palate is on the blackfruit side, low tannin and acid, but the fruit starts to peel away on day #2. I like the Champauvins bottling and buy it in the bigger years (2007, 2010, 2016 etc) but I think its best consumed by age 10, tops. A- on day 1, B+ on day 2. My suggestion for those who might still have any - likely by accident - consume them as they are still tasty but heading downhill. The Hanes description of this estate/style remains apt - flavorful if not nuanced. This bottle has a PremierCru import tag on it, although I think I got it from K&L. Curious indeed!

When I look at the color below, at age 14, it appears darker - and more youthful - than what it tastes like. Don’t be fooled, it needs to be consumed!

PS: I don’t think this is a quaffer wine. It’s good, just not great.