2020 Gerard Charvin Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhone

Elegant, silky and fresh, with a rich core of sweet, ripe, pure kirsch, herbs and licorice, that continues from the nose, to the mid-palate and completes the wine all the way through to the long, refined, cherry and red plum finish. The wine was made blending roughly 82% Grenache, 5% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre, 4% Counoise and 4% Vaccarese. Drink from 2023-2037.

95 points Jeff Leve thewinecellarinsider.com

Another beautiful wine from Laurent, his 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape is a classic blend of 82% Grenache, 5% each of Syrah and Mourvedre, and the rest Vaccarese and Counoise, all from the northern part of the appellation, aged in tank. Perfumed red fruits, rose petals, spice, and sappy, peppery garrigue all flow to a medium to full-bodied, seamless 2020 with silky tannins, wonderful balance, and a great finish. It needs 3-5 years in the cellar to hit the early stages of its drink window, where it should keep nicely for over a decade.

Located in the northwestern part of the appellation, Laurent Charvin pulls from vines in the lieux-dits of Maucoil, l’Arnesque, and Cabrieres. He releases a single Châteauneuf du Pape based on 80% Grenache and the balance Syrah, Mourvedre, Vaccarese, and Counoise, and the wine is not destemmed, and the aging occurs all in concrete tanks, with no contact with wood whatsoever. This is as pure and classic as it gets.

94 points jebdunnuck.com

Average age of vines about 60 y.o. in sandy north-facing soil in north-west of appellation. 85% Grenache, 5% Syrah, 5% Mourvedre and 5% Vaccarese. Vinified 100% whole-bunch, all raised in concrete tanks for 18-21 months, fined, unfiltered.

Laurent Charvin runs this small family estate located in the north of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The domaine has vineyard holdings of just 8 hectares in Chateauneuf-du-Pape and 13 hectares in Cotes du Rhone.  The average age of the vineyards is over 50 years old with the oldest being nearly 80 years of age. Laurent Charvin describes his vineyard site as being cool for Chateauneuf as their vines are mostly planted on sandy north facing slopes. Certified organic.

Charvin produces finely styled Grenache based wines showing great depth and finesse (approximately 80% Grenache for each wine with small amounts of Vacaresse and Mourvedre as well as small amounts of Carignan and Bourboulenc for the Côtes du Rhône). Winemaking is traditional with no de-stemming and all ageing is done in cement tanks. No wood is used for the elevage of either wine. There are no secrets here, simply old vines, very low yields and minimal winemaking intervention. The Côtes du Rhône is regularly rated as one of the very best from this area and perhaps it is not surprising as the vines for this cuvee border directly on to the appellation for Chateauneuf du Pape in the northern sector where they are located.