A Tale of Two Gigondases

[Oswaldo Costa]

Last month, in Provence, my sister (and all assembled) greatly enjoyed a 2009 Domaine la Garrigue Gigondas 15.0% expertly brought by Jonathan to dinner. She pronounced herself a fan of the appellation, so, on the way back to Brazil, I suggested that she pick up the two specimens available at CDG for the sake of comparison. Last night we opened them at a dinner; they weren't the best of wines, nor the worst of wines:

2007 Gabriel Meffre "Laurus" Gigondas 14.5%
Competent rendition of straightforward international style industrial wine showing puerile jamminess and mature heat, with, for the nonce, nary an ounce of distinctiveness. I liked this not at all, so would rate it a 97.

2009 Antoine Ogier "Duc de Mayreuil" Gigondas 14.5%
Structurally similar to previous, but post-structurally there is a measure of liveliness and a degree of delineation in the fruit flavors that generated a sparkle of interest. I liked this rather better, so would rate it a 93.

After dinner I took a vote. Two preferred the first. Two preferred the second. One was undecided. So mine was the Minerva's.

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

Oswaldo,

With regard to Gigondas, remember the following names:

Raspail-Ay
Gour de Chaule
Domaine de la Garrigue (which you can only get there and probably useless on this list, but still).

With more caution
Cayron

Drink those until you know what the wine is like. Then if you want, go whoring after strange gods. You will find them, with oak and other weirdnesses. Because Parker seems only to like Santa Duc and St. Cosme (unless he changed after I finally gave up subscribing), he's done quite a bit to ruin the place.

 

[Matteo Mollo]

Mas des Collines

 

[BJ]

Gigondi

 

[Sharon Bowman]

Gigondae?

 

[Jeff Grossman]

Gigonden.

 

[Matteo Mollo]

s'

 

[Brézème]

Burle.

One of the few who does gigondas the old way: whole cluster, native yeasts... With very old vines on great terroir. No menu pineau though...

 

[MarkS]

What a coincidence: I just popped a Gigondi last night, the Pallieres 2005, which was a little too tight and un-voluptuous for my taste at present (but not in maybe 3-4 years).

I have never even heard of your producers. Kept in France, eh?

 

[Jonathan Loesberg]

originally posted by Brézème:
Burle.

One of the few who does gigondas the old way: whole cluster, native yeasts... With very old vines on great terroir. No menu pineau though...

I had one this summer and liked it very much. Prior to that, I hadn't seen it, though I know they've been around a long time. My own lack of experience no doubt, but I don't yet think of it as a standby.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

Gigondasses

 

[Brian C]

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

originally posted by Brézème:
Burle.

One of the few who does gigondas the old way: whole cluster, native yeasts... With very old vines on great terroir. No menu pineau though...

I had one this summer and liked it very much. Prior to that, I hadn't seen it, though I know they've been around a long time. My own lack of experience no doubt, but I don't yet think of it as a standby.

Someone brings them into Oregon at least. Other than that not much availability stateside.

 

[Sharon Bowman]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Gigondasses

You're so cras.

 

[Oswaldo Costa]

 

[Morgan Harris]

originally posted by Oswaldo Costa:
Gigondasses

QFT. Jay, I know we're together on this one.

 

[Yixin]

Raspail-Ay needs time to show its purity - I've made the mistake of dismissing the wines for lack of clarity when young.

For the concerned newbies, I don't import it into Singapore, although I have a personal stash somewhere in Europe.

 

[Jeff Connell]

originally posted by Yixin:
Raspail-Ay needs time to show its purity - I've made the mistake of dismissing the wines for lack of clarity when young.

For the concerned newbies, I don't import it into Singapore, although I have a personal stash somewhere in Europe.

Do you ship to St. Pierre et Miquelon?

 

[Cliff]

Pallières

 

[Vincent Fritzsche]

originally posted by Brian C:

originally posted by Jonathan Loesberg:

originally posted by Brézème:
Burle.

One of the few who does gigondas the old way: whole cluster, native yeasts... With very old vines on great terroir. No menu pineau though...

I had one this summer and liked it very much. Prior to that, I hadn't seen it, though I know they've been around a long time. My own lack of experience no doubt, but I don't yet think of it as a standby.

Someone brings them into Oregon at least. Other than that not much availability stateside.

PS Wines has brought Burle into Portland since the '90s at least. Great to see Eric mention them here. Cotes du Rhone, Vacqueyras and Gigondas that can be some of the best southern Rhone wines out there. Old school, sometimes a little wild, but when it's on, it's terrific. I think the son(s) took over from father Edmund a few years ago. Maybe a little more fruit in the wines now, but still really good.

 

[Cliff]

They were at Chambers for awhile. Not sure if they're still coming in.