KYSELA PERE ET FILS, LTD.

"The 2022 Châteauneuf du Pape Les Origines is also brilliant, with gorgeously integrated oak in its ripe red and black cherry fruit as well as peppery garrigue, cured meats, spice, and graphite-driven aromatics. Rich, full-bodied, concentrated, and balanced, with silky tannins, it's a smoking good example of modern-styled yet still classic Châteauneuf du Pape. The 2022 is 50% Grenache that was raised in concrete and 30% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah, both raised in barrels. Give bottles 2-3 years and enjoy over the following decade or more."

- Jeb Dunnuck (Importer Highlight: Fran Kysela ; July 2024), 95+ pts

"A robust, compact and well-driven red with focus and a serious character. Currants, red berries, wild herbs and baking spices dominate the nose, with a touch of bark as well. Full-bodied with fine, firm tannins. Juicy blue fruit at the center with a pulpy core of dark cherries and blueberries on the muscular frame of tannins coating the palate. Focused finish with excellent length. From organically grown grapes. Try after 2026."

- James Suckling (April 8th 2024), 93 pts

"The 2021 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Origines is 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and 20% Syrah and was brought up in 55% new barrels, with the balance in concrete. Its deeper purple color gives way to a pure, medium to full-bodied, impeccably balanced barrel sample that has plenty of cassis and darker cherry fruits, notes of graphite, ground pepper, violets, and scorched earth, ripe tannins, and a great finish. It's impeccably put together, balanced, and shows the pure, seamless style of the vintage, with its oak barely noticeable."

- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2022), 92-94 pts

"The full dry tannins shape the personality of this bold and crisp Chateauneuf. Aromas of dry earth, savory and black pepper. Seriously structured finish where the tannins need some time to resolve. A cuvee of 50% grenache, 30% mourvedre and 20% syrah. From organically grown grapes. Drinkable now, but best from 2025."

- James Suckling (April 2023), 92 pts

"The huge nose of violet pastilles, mulberries, smoked bacon and a touch of hot asphalt pulls you into this expansive but beautifully balanced Chateauneuf that’s packed with fine, powdery tannin. So much bitter-chocolate character, but this exactly matches the deep fruit and, at the long crescendo finish, there are fascinating balsamic and hot dry-earth touches. Drinkable now, but best from 2025."

- James Suckling (March 2022), 94 pts

"Earthy nose with dark berries and hints of leather. The palate is silky smooth with seamlessly integrated flavors and excellent balance. Finishes long and fine. One of Kysela’s most widely distributed wine, now in 40 states. A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah from old vines (some over 70 years of age) matured in vats and oak casks. - Don WINKLER"

- International Wine Review (Kysela Père et Fils Importer: 30 Years Importing High Quality, High Value Wines ; July 26th 2024), 94 pts

"Probably the most modern styled in the lineup, the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Origines is 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvedre, and the rest Syrah. It’s completely destemmed and aged 16 months in 50% new barrels, with the balance in concrete tanks. It shows its élevage with a touch of spicy wood but has classic southern Rhône-like notes of black raspberries, cassis, licorice, pepper, and cured meats. Medium to full-bodied, balanced, and nicely concentrated, it’s a beautiful wine that will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and keep through 2035."

- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2022), 93+ pts

"The 2019 Chateauneuf du Pape les Origines is rich and intense, a full-bodied, velvety wine with wow-level concentration. Blackberries and plums line the palate, finishing long, with hints of salted licorice. As usual, it's a blend of approximately 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah, with the Grenache maturing in tanks and the rest in older barrels."

- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (May 2022), 95 pts

"Although matured in 50% new oak, a core of pristine black cherry and cassis flavors entices in this blend of Grenache (50%), Mourvèdre (30%) and Syrah (20%). Supple in mouthfeel and accented by dustings of cocoa powder and Christmas spice, it finishes with charry, gripping tannins. Approachable already, the wine should improve through 2035. - ANNA LEE C. IIJIMA"

- Wine Enthusiast (May 2022), 94 pts

"The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Origines (50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and 20% Syrah aged in 50% new oak) is similarly deep purple and offers a straight-up stunning bouquet of ripe cassis and blackberry fruits intermixed with chocolate, Asian spices, cured meats, and new leather. A powerful, concentrated, rich 2019, it has a great mid-palate, building yet ripe tannins, no hard edges, and a great finish. The purity of fruit here is top notch, and while it's unquestionably a modern style Châteauneuf, the oak is nicely integrated and I suspect will disappear completely with 5-6 years of bottle age."

- Jeb Dunnuck (November 2021), 94 pts

"Deep violet. Oak-spice- and mineral-tinged aromas of ripe cherry and black currant are joined by garrigue and floral notes that build in the glass. Alluringly sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering juicy red and blue fruit preserve, succulent herb and licorice flavors braced by an undercurrent of smoky minerality. A vanilla nuance emerges on an impressively long, penetrating finish firmed by gently chewy tannins. - Josh Raynolds"

 - Antonio Galloni's Vinous (October 2021), 94 pts

 "The Jaume family pulls this wine from vines on a parcel of red clay studded with large, round stones. Half grenache, 35 percent mourvèdre and the rest syrah, it’s a powerful wine, its red-cherry fruit wrapped in layers of toasty, chocolatey oak and tannins. It’s dense and rich as a flourless chocolate cake, built for a grilled T-bone."

 - Wine & Spirits (October 2021), 91 pts

"The 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape les Origines offers up scents of lavender and thyme on the nose, accenting red berries and cherries. This full-bodied effort reveals an intriguing tautness on the palate, with tart, redcurrant and pie-cherry notes juxtaposed against hints of dark chocolate. It seems to have tightened up a bit since I tasted it last year. The tannins are more prominent here than in many 2018s, suggesting that a couple of years in the cellar wouldn't hurt, as there's ample concentration and plenty of fruit-driven length on the finish. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue 251,October 2020), 94+ pts

"Based on a blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah that sees a fair click of new oak, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Origines displays a slightly more modern style in its black raspberry and jammy blackberry fruits as well as notes of black licorice, toasted spices, vanilla bean, and peppery garrigue. Showing the vintage’s more medium-bodied style on the palate, it has good mid-palate depth, terrific overall balance, and a classy finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. It’s not going to be the longest-lived version of this cuvée, but it will benefit from a year ot two of bottle age and keep nicely for over a decade."
- Jeb Dunnuck (October 2020), 94-96+ pts

"Already drinkable as a prospective blend, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape les Origines is wonderfully open and fruit-forward, with hints of garrigue accenting pomegranate and cherry notes. Full-bodied and silky, there's a drink-me-now quality to this luscious wine. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue 244, August 2019), 92-94 pts

"In contrast to the sun-drenched red fruit of this producer's other special cuvée, the Vieilles Vignes, Les Origines is the darker, more sultry sibling. Flavors of crème de cassis and spiced black plums are densely concentrated, almost languorous in mouthfeel, but edged by lifting tones of crushed earth and smoky minerals. It's still a bit closed in character but should open from 2022 and improve further well through 2030. - ANNA LEE C. IIJIMA"

- Wine Enthusiast (February/March 2021), 95 pts - Cellar Selection

"The 2017 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Origines takes things up a notch on the serious scale and has a much more concentrated, focused, structured style. A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and the rest Syrah that saw 50% new barrels, it offers a rich, concentrated, focused texture, notes of black raspberries, roasted garrigue, pepper, and tons of minerality, building tannins, and outstanding length. The new oak is beautifully integrated, it’s perfectly balanced, and it’s one of those wines that has a kiss of modern character yet stays firmly planted in the Southern Rhône."
- Jeb Dunnuck (August 16th 2019), 95+ pts

Go to Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge Cuvee les Origines

"Smoky, earthy, spicy, peppery, olive, thyme and dark red fruits are all over the place here. The fruit is ripe, round, sweet, fresh and tannic, so allow it time in the cellar before pulling a cork. The wine is made in a full-bodied, hedonistic style that I think is great! The wine was made with a blend of 50% old vine Grenache, 30% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah."
- The Wine Cellar insider (January 30th 2020), 95 pts

"The 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape les Origines is richer and denser than the entry-level bottling, layering hints of chocolate over black cherries, plums and purple raspberries. A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah, half was aged in new barriques, while the other half stayed in concrete tanks. It's nearly over the top, being full-bodied, rich and velvety, with a long, plush finish and never-ending waves of flavor on the finish. Tasted twice (once blind), with consistent notes. - Joe Czerwinski"
- Robert Parker's Wine Advocate (Issue 244, August 2019), 94 pts

"Also brilliant, the 2017 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Origines (50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, and 20% Syrah brought up in 50% new barrels) boasts a deep purple color as well as loads of dark fruits, licorice, graphite, and building minerality. It’s full-bodied and concentrated, with stunning purity of fruit. It’s similar in style to the 2016 and is going to drink nicely in its youth as well.

"There are few better run estates in the world than that of the Jaume Family’s Domaine Grand Veneur. Located in the northern part of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and run today by brothers Christophe and Sebastien Jaume, the estate produces a quasi-modern style of Châteauneuf-du-Pape (their Les Origins and Vieilles Vignes) as well as a growing number of negociant based wines from throughout the Southern Rhône. The 2017s whites are terrific across the board, and this vintage has produced charming, pure wines that are already drinking beautifully. The 2016 reds are some of the finest I’ve tasted from this estate."
- Jeb Dunnuck (LE MILLÉSIME… The 2016s from the Southern Rhône - Part 1), 93-95 pts

Go to Domaine Grand Veneur Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge Cuvee les Origines