Review

Robert Parker 93 Points “A prodigious effort, the2009 Lirac Clos de Sixte blows away the 2008. This dense purple-colored wine offers up notes of black truffles, charcoal, blackberries, kirsch, garrigue, new saddle leather, herbs de Provence, spice box, and smoke. It possesses great fruit, full-bodied power, excellent depth, and abundant silky tannins. Drink it over the next 6-8 years. Grand Veneur is one of the most brilliant estates in Chateauneuf du Pape as well as the force behind the negociant wines sold under the Alain Jaume label. Virtually everything they produce has merit. Some of this estate’s 2009 red wines are just hitting the market as they are bottled early to preserve their fruit and freshness. I can’t say enough about the job Alain Jaume’s two sons, Sebastian and Christophe, have done with this estate. The impeccable attention to detail in the vineyards, the meticulous vinification, and the careful bottling benefit every consumer.