Based on others’ recommendations, I was happy to give this a try! I find a lot to like here. The general character is not over the top, overripe or overdone, and that appeals to me, but this wine is either somewhat closed or (I fear) just a bit thin – perhaps not the strongest vintage? I’d like to hear what others have to say about the 06, and I will try to find and try something from 98-01 and perhaps the 04 or 05…
-
2006 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (6/24/2009)
Good typicity on the nose with lifted liquer like red fruits, garriggue and baked, dusty earth. A kind of salty mineral character is appealing. A touch hot but not enough to be offputting, particularly in the context of Chateauneuf. On the palate though this strikes me as a bit thin, surprisingly. Not the density or depth I anticipated. Some tannin for sure in the mix. A bit short / simple on the finish. Hopefully this is just a bit clamped down and needs to unwind.
Posted from CellarTracker
Charvin is always a finesse wine, as Burgundian and pure and understated as you will find in Chateauneuf. Wonderful Grenache personality. They seem to like some time to reveal their graces. The 2003 is pretty forthcoming, but I find the 2000 and 2001 still pretty reticent.
Had the 06 out of Magnum about 6 weeks ago or so. Open for 5 hours (IIRC) then consumed over 2 hours. Didn’t find it hot or thin or short. Amazingly open at first sip, the acid/tannins clamped down for about 30 minutes or so then it opened back up. Gorgeous texture, concentration, acid…in short it was a fantastic wine for me that night.
I do find a lot to like, and we have had no problem finishing the bottle, I just expected a bit more complexity and depth on the palate. I don’t anticipate an 06 CdP being this closed but, assuming this is the case, I certainly don’t rule it out either.
I’ll try to give a couple of other vintages a twirl, but it looks like 01 and older are trading at a decent premium unfortunately.
Anyone have thoughts on the 04?
Trying to recall…we had several vintages of Charvin at a tasting with the “Xpensive Winos” last Sept (Gelber, Page, Gelb, Traub, Elzer, et al) and I think 04 showed really well. The 05, IIRC, was a slightly off bottle unfortunately…of course I am going off memory.
I really think the 06 is the best of that group and I am really looking forward to trying the 07
So far I’ve found the bulk of 06 CdP to be a bit over the top for my tastes, and I’ll admit I’m leery of 07, we’ll see. I’m a big fan of 01 so far, and I prefer 04 and 05 to 06 for the wines I like.
FWIW, I prefer many 01 to 00. I like 06. It’s got a little more fruit/plushness than 04. I am looking forward to 07 based upon the CdR’s that I have had. That being said, I do worry about wines going over the top as they say.
I am holding all of mine except for one I drank about 1 year ago. I thought it was outstanding. It did need a good amount of air though. Not sure what the 06 is going for but the 04s were sub $40 and I think a great value.
Jason
The last two times I have had it the '06 has been a touch closed. '04 might be one of my favorite recent Charvins.
John - I suspect at this point the 06 needs some serious air time. It is a very good wine though and I’ll take it in the long run over the 04. A little more concentration/complexity.
Killed an FOB bottle last night. Lots of things going on for sure, but still a bit closed. Will be very interesting to watch these evolve.
This is a producer that has been off my radar, and not intelligently either. I have always had good success with Charvin, and have none in my cellar to speak of. 
Good notes, and thanks for the reminder. Look forward to grabbing some 07s, and hopefully finding some 2004s at good prices (the vintage seems to be coming around now).
Ian I would not overlook 2006. It is better than 04 and I don’t expect it to be closed for too long
2006 Domaine Charvin Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape (3/13/2013)
– popped and poured –
– tasted a couple pours non-blind over 1.5 hours –
I thought this bottle was reflective both of the 2006 vintage as well as the Charvin style. Light garrigue on the Nose and Palate. Red-fruited, with high acidity and just a little tannin on the palate. Not a “big gloppy” CdP: rather, this had medium concentration of fruit and also a nimbleness that wines from this appellation generally fail to achieve. Clean (no brett). Open/accessible. A pleasurable wine. Very good, or low-level excellent (gut impression score: 89 - 92).
Posted from CellarTracker
The 2001 Charvin CdP that we drank three months ago was one of the small handful of finest CdP I’ve ever had.
Yeah, the '01 is stunner, for sure. ![[cheers.gif]](/uploads/db3686/original/2X/0/0ff9bfcdb0964982cd3240b6159868fbdf215b1a.gif "cheers")
Last I had the 2006, a couple of years ago, it was pretty rich to my palate – though nothing compared to 2007 and the like. I think it’s just closed and expect it to come around in a year or two. The wines are restrained in the context of their peers, but they are no shrinking violets.
If you find the 06’s to be a bit over-the-top, you’d best skip 2007 completely. I’ll echo recent praise for the 04 Charvin, and especially the 2001, which is a star in a vintage of stars but has a long life ahead.
Well it is Chateauneuf du Pape after all. Not even Rayas is a shrinking violet, although I have had some 1979 Beaucastel that really turned into something approaching Burgundian.