Alain Jaume

The Jaume family story begins in 1826, when they first settled north of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and started cultivating vines. Founded by Mathieu Jaume, the estate has grown into one of the leading family estates of the southern Rhône Valley. Located in Orange, the original 9-hectare estate has grown over the years to span 225 acres across four appellations: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côtes-du-Rhône, Lirac, and Vacqueyras. The vineyards sit on lands of rolled pebbles and limestone clay, where these legendary rounded stones store up the sun's heat during the day and release it at night, helping the grapes to ripen optimally. This unique terroir gives the wines their distinctive character and power.

Five generations later in 1979, Alain Jaume and Odile Jaume took over the traditionally managed Domaine Grand Veneur. Today, the estate is run by the 5th and 6th generations of Jaumes: Alain Jaume and his children Christophe, Sébastien, and Hélène. Alain Jaume is still very much involved in the business, but his two sons Christophe (winemaking) and Sebastian (sales and marketing) are now in day to day command. In 1986, under the direction of Alain Jaume, Grand Veneur became perhaps the first estate in Chateauneuf du Pape to experiment with aging some grape varieties in new, French oak barrels. The family has continued to expand, acquiring Le Clos de Sixte, comprising of nine hectares in Lirac, in 2003, then Château Mazane in Vacqueyras in 2013, and Domaine de la Grangette Saint-Joseph in 2015.

Both Grand Veneur and Clos de Sixte vineyards are grown in accordance with certified organic agricultural practices. The soils are maintained exclusively by light plowing and fertilized with vegetal compost, and the vines are only sprayed when there are justified risks to the health of the vines, using only organic-permitted treatments. Yields are low, or kept under control by green-harvesting, carried out by hand in summer to provide optimum sun exposure for the best clusters. Harvesting is by hand, from pruning the leaves to aerate the clusters to picking and sorting grapes and selecting only the best to press. Their Chateauneuf du Papes are distinctly modern and spent plenty of time in small barrels, yet they never lose their Southern Rhone typicity, have gorgeous purity and also possess balanced, age-worthy profiles.

Alain Jaume Domaine Grand Veneur produces 5 red Chateauneuf du Pape and 2 white Chateauneuf du Pape wines. The estate bottles are released under the Domaine Grand Veneur label, while the negociant wines are released under the Alain Jaume et Fils label. They also produce wines from the AOC's of Rasteau, Gigondas, Cairanne and Ventoux under their Alain Jaume label. 13 grape types are planted, six of which truly stand out: Black Grenache, Syrah & Mourvedre for the reds, and Clairette, Roussanne and Viognier for the whites. The flagship wines include the Vieilles Vignes cuvée from old vines, Les Origines, and Le Miocene, each expressing the full complexity and richness of their exceptional terroir. While historically known for its whites, since 1995 the focus has been on powerful and expressive reds, alongside fresh whites and elegant rosés.