Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  5/24/2010 (link)

  (CHATEAUNEUF Graveirette) 2007 Chateauneuf Dear Friends, As we look forward to the upcoming 3-day holiday this weekend, another gem landed in my "in" box and it's a doozy of a deal on one of the more desirable unknown entrants in Chateauneuf du Pape. A fitting companion to the 2007 La Graveirette Cotes du Rhone offered last week, this wine was among my top ten of the 2007 vintage last summer and it continues to hold that position. In the race to uncover Chateauneuf-du-Pape with the most investment and gustatory upside, this wine meets all the requirements: exemplary quality, rarity and long-term ageing potential that belies its designation as a regular Chateauneuf. While not designated as a "luxury" cuvee, the 2007 "La Graveirette" is their reserve-level bottling (and it's still under $30). Unlike the fashionable trend in Avignon, this winery does not cull the best material for a more expensive/oaked cuvee - the lesser quality, if any, goes into the Cotes du Rhone (which is certainly a reason for it's standout quality as well). As I stated with their 2007 Cotes du Rhone, if you've lost faith in the Southern Rhone and wish to experience an example that brings reflection and varietal harmony first rather than obtuse and candied extract, this is your wine. From 40-50 year old vines adjacent to Vieux Telegraph, this undiscovered gem is soon to be a definition rather than a curiosity. It is heavy in Mourvedre (which was arguably the most successful varietal in 2007) but it retains an aura of delicacy, somewhat in contract to Mourvedre's typically masculine ideology. Balanced, poignant, multi-layered and brimming with beautiful notes of kirsch, mulberry, garrigue and detailed nuances of forest floor and sauvage, this wine allows the taster to get lost in the moment (and not care one bit). A 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape that leaves an indelible mark on your cerebral cortex - it beats to its own drummer and and defies any notion of comparison (which is more than I can say regarding many 2007 examples of CdP at 2-3 times this price): A memorable and unique effort that is among the very best price/value stars of the 2007 campaign. VERY RARE This parcel is directly from the cellars at La Graveirette with impeccable provenance: 2007 Domaine La Graveirette Chateauneuf du Pape Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Rhone7420