The 2009 Cotes du Rhone blanc (40% Viognier, 40% Roussanne, and 20% Clairette) exhibits notes of white flowers intermixed with a crystalline minerality, light to medium body, and attractive freshness. It falls off quickly on the palate, so it is best drunk over the next 6-12 months. 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. Importer: Fran Kysela, Kysela Pere et Fils, Winchester, VA; tel. (540) 722-9228; Fax (540) 722-9258