About this WINE
Domaine Chaume Arnaud
Domaine Chaume-Arnaud is owned and run by Valérie and Philippe Chaume-Arnaud, a young and vibrant couple with 13.5 hectares situated in and around Vinsobres, made up principally of Grenache (60%); Syrah (20%) with some ancient Cinsault, Carignan and Mourvedre (10%) plus Viognier and Marsanne (10%). Yields are kept low, all soil treatments are organic, and harvesting is done solely by hand. Most of the vines average 30 years old, going up to 65 for the Carignan in the Vinsobres cuvée.
Philippe looks after the vines while Valérie works the cellar, all under the watchful eye of her parents - her mother's method of tracking Philippe down is to drive literally into a vineyard and stand and scream at the top of her voice until he appears.
Vinsobres
Vinsobres, along with Beaumes de Venise, has cause for celebration, , having been promoted to a stand-alone appellation in 2006 - in the vein of Gigondas or Vacqueyras - but now overtaking Cairanne and 12 or so other Cote du Rhone villages, in the local hierarchy.
This is primarily due to the relative altitude of the vines being recognised for lending complexity and structure to the wines. None are better at demonstrating this than the husband and wife team Philippe and Valérie Chaume Arnaud.
Other Varieties
There are over 200 different grape varieties used in modern wine making (from a total of over 1000). Most lesser known blends and varieties are traditional to specific parts of the world.
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Description
Rhône 2010 Berrys' Best Buys - Best Value Reds
Organically managed, this is a traditional red Rhône blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Carignan and a touch of Cinsault. Delicious black fruit, spice, and earthy notes combine to produce a very enticing glass of wine, which is an absolute steal at this price.
Fine Wine Team
A Grenache Syrah Mourvedre blend, that is to say one made up of pretty much equal parts of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre; piercing aromatics of violets and dark fruit, then black fruit, crushed rock and hedgerow flavours, firm acidity and silky tannins. The elegance comes from the altitude of the vines; the Syrah lends an almost Northern Rhône character, unsurprising, in a sense, as Vinsobres is located at the northerly end of the south as it were!
Simon Field MW, Wine Buyer
The elevation to Cru status of the appropriately lofty vineyards of Vinsobres came in recognition of the quality of its soils and the distinctive elegance of its wines. Philippe is both a vigneron of merit and a highl-respected rugby union coach. It must therefore be a source of great pride that one of his sons, Thibaud, is now showing great skill in the winery whilst the other, Rafael has just won a place in the Clermont Ferrand First Fifteen. The wines are even more impressive than usual, possibly because the Domaine is about to be accorded full biodynamic certification...
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