Alain Jaume - Cairanne Les Travées 2023

A leading figure in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Tavel, Alain Jaume runs a family-owned business focused on high-quality wine trading as well as their own exceptional vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the Côtes du Rhône. Their greatest source of pride is the “Grand-Veneur,” a classic Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Clos de Sixte, the family estate located in Tavel, offers a fine representation of the appellation, while in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the old-vine cuvée ranks among the appellation’s finest wines. The estate’s future is brilliantly secured by Alain Jaume’s children.

A constant presence in the Guide, the Jaume family once again stands out with this very compelling Cairanne. With its deep color, a complex nose hinting at wild rose, stewed blackberries, and leather, and a full-bodied, warm palate with pleasant tannins that lingers for a very long time on notes of kirsch-soaked morello cherries, it embodies the profile of a refined, distinctly Southern red with excellent aging potential.

Originally from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Alain Jaume and his sons, Sébastien and Christophe, carry on a winemaking tradition that dates back to 1826. They manage a 155-hectare vineyard using organic methods, spread across four estates: Grand Veneur in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Clos de Sixte in Lirac, Ch. Mazane in Vacqueyras, and Dom. la Grangette Saint-Joseph in the Côtes-du-Rhône AOC, all complemented by a wine trading business. A sure bet.

In the Jaume family, they have been winemakers “…ever since Mathieu Jaume decided to plant vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 1826.” Odile and Alain Jaume and their sons, Christophe and Sébastien, now manage a 70-hectare vineyard (Domaine Grand Veneur, Clos de Sixte) that also produces wines under the Lirac and Côtes du Rhône appellations. As expected, Grenache Noir and Syrah dominate the vineyard’s grape varieties. The estate began the transition to organic farming in 2009.

 

The 2023 Cairanne Les Travées offers lovely aromas of red and black raspberries, spices, leather, and violets, with wonderful purity. Medium-bodied and pleasantly textured on the palate, with ripe tannins and a concentrated finish, this blend of 65% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 5% Mourvèdre will drink beautifully over the next 5 to 7 years.