Domaine Charvin

Peter met winemaker Laurent Charvin in early 1992 after tasting Laurent's very first bottling, the 1990 Châteauneuf. Peter recognized Charvin's potential at first sip, and the two men have maintained a close working relationship ever since.

Domaine Charvin boasts a long legacy. Established in 1851, it has emerged as one of the region's perennial superstars. Laurent is the sixth-generation Charvin to run the Domaine, and the first to commercially market a proprietary bottling.

Laurent produces only one cuvée of AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and it is consistently one of the most highly-rated wines in the region. He also makes a fantastic Côtes du Rhône called Le Poutet, culled from his holdings just outside his Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards. Le Poutet is so good that it often outperforms the top bottlings of lesser Châteauneuf producers. A small amount of rosé and an elegant Vin de Pays de la Principauté d'Orange à Côté, made from a unique and delicious blend of 50% Merlot and 50% Grenache, round out the portfolio.

All of Laurent Charvin's vines are between 35 and 70 years old, and grapes are picked and sorted entirely by hand. As usual with Peter's imports, these wines are not filtered. The results of Laurent's meticulous cellar work are wines of impeccable balance, fresh fruit, and a deep, coherent complexity.