Why it matters
The producer
Domaine Grand Veneur began with a nine-hectare vineyard in 1979, when Odile and Alain Jaume gave the family’s long wine-growing history a named estate and its own cellar base. The family now produces several Châteauneuf-du-Pape and Côtes du Rhône wines, alongside Vacqueyras Grande Garrigue and other bottles across the southern Rhône.
Alain Jaume remains involved in the business. His son Christophe leads winemaking, while Sébastien leads sales and marketing. That division keeps the estate’s history visible in the cellar and gives the current range a clear family line, from Grenache-led Châteauneuf-du-Pape to more direct Côtes du Rhône reds.
Place and vineyards
Where the wines begin
Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the family’s historical home and the appellation attached to Le Miocène, a red blend of Grenache noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre. The wider range follows the label: Côtes du Rhône Haut de Brun gives a medium-bodied red with silky tannins, while Vacqueyras Grande Garrigue brings Grenache, Syrah and old Cinsault into a fuller, savoury style.
The appellation names separate the bottles before the first pour. Châteauneuf-du-Pape carries the family’s deepest geographical link, Côtes du Rhône offers a more direct expression, and Vacqueyras sits between those roles with its own blend and ageing profile.
In the cellar
Vineyards and cellar
The vineyards are farmed with low yields, hand harvesting and selective sorting. Green harvesting is used to optimise cluster exposure, while organic viticulture is in place in two of the family’s vineyards. Across the properties, vine health remains the stated priority. These choices reduce the crop before it reaches the cellar and give selection a practical role at harvest.
Le Miocène ferments at 30°C for 18 to 20 days before maturing in vats and oak casks. Grande Garrigue spends 14 months in concrete vats and three-year-old barrels. The first wine uses a longer fermentation and mixed vessel ageing for a dark, full-bodied red; the second keeps concrete and older barrels in view alongside fresh black fruit, dried herbs and smooth tannins.
Wines to know
The range in view
Le Miocène Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red is composed of 70% Grenache noir, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre. Its range position comes through blackberry, liquorice and forest floor, with full body, a rich smooth texture and a lasting finish. The blend gives the wine dark fruit and savoury depth without reducing it to one grape.
Vacqueyras Grande Garrigue is made from Grenache, Syrah and old Cinsault. Fourteen months in concrete vats and three-year-old barrels precede bottling. Fresh black fruit sits beside meaty and dried-herb notes, while rich tannins are softened by the wine’s smooth palate.
A useful way in
A bottle to begin with
Start with Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Miocène Red. The blend is 70% Grenache noir, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre, fermented for 18 to 20 days at 30°C and matured in vats and oak casks. In the glass, blackberry and liquorice move into forest floor, full body and a rich smooth texture before a lasting finish.