We have just added this wine on by the glass at Max Downtown. The Jeune family is one of the most highly regarded Rhone producers and we are very excited to be featuring this wine. We will have it available through the Spring, while supplies last.
Domaine Monpertuis
Vignoble de la Ramiere Vin de Pays du Gard “Cepage Counoise”, 2010
Paul Jeune winemaker
This wine is fermented and aged in cement vats and is composed almost exclusively of the Counoise grape variety, one of the thirteen varieties permitted to be used in making Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Supplemented by just a touch of Alicante, this wine is usually bottled 18 to 20 months after harvest and offers a full-throated roar of the garrigue that so defines the wines of this region: the wild herbs and slightly animal notes that make this modest wine so full of character. A majority of this wine is destined for the US market (24,000 bottles).
Domaine Monpertuis
The Domaine de Monpertuis has been in the hands of the Jeune family for six generations. In fact, the records of the village of Chateauneuf-du-Pape show that Pierre-Paul Jeune, a local vineyard owner, was born in Chateauneuf in 1775. Each successor in the Jeune family added bits and pieces of vineyards to the expanding whole of the estate so that the current owner, Paul Jeune, now farms a total of thirty hectares, some owned as proprietaire and a portion worked under the share-cropping system of metayage and fermage. The holdings are scattered amongst 48 separate parcels throughout the boundaries of Chateauneuf du Pape and extending on the western side of the Rhone River. The wide variety of soil types and exposures amongst the parcels in Chateauneuf give Monpertuis the resources to craft a classic version of Chateauneuf-du-Pape in both red and white.
Jeune has the remarkable good fortune of having a majority of his vineyards planted to vines between 60 and 130 years of age. The remaining vineyards generally are between 25 and 60 years, except for some new plantings of white varieties like Roussanne. The multiplicity of parcels spread across Chateauneuf imparts a classic character to the wines of Monpertuis, absorbing the nuances of each soil type of the appellation. However, the heart and soul of the domaine lies within three primary parcels, all within the village confines of Chateuneuf: La Croze, Le Clos de la Cerise, and Monpertuis. Although Chateauneuf-du-Pape may be composed of 13 individual varietals, the Domaine de Monpertuis relies most heavily on the Grenache grape and the vineyards are heavily planted to this noble variety. The vineyards are worked according to the principles of organic viticulture. On the western side of the Rhone, in the Gard district, Jeune works the “Vignobles de la Ramiere” from which vineyards he produces two wines: a Vin du Pays du Gard “Counoise” and a Cotes du Rhone. This site is near Monfaucon which is not far from the Tavel and Lirac appellations. These vineyards, as well, are farmed organically. All vineyards are hand harvested. The white varieties are picked early to preserve acidity and aromatic intensity and are fermented separately according to grape variety under controlled temperatures. For the red wines destined for the US market, the grapes are either not destemmed at all or are only partially destemmed. This is an ancient practice.
Imported by Neal Rosenthal (no relation to Rich) aka: MADROSE
http://www.madrose.com/index.php/france/cotes-du-rhone-south/domaine-monpertuis#vin-de-pays-du-gard-“cepage-counoise”
Take a look at this week’s speacials : loblaws flyer, walmart flyer, freshco flyer, no frills flyer, food basics flyer
