If enjoying life were an olympic sport, the French would certainly be on the medal stand. (Italy might well win the gold, but it’d be a photo finish.) Particularly in the south, things seem to move just a bit more leisurely. With warm sun and a cool dry breeze at your back, the bustle of Paris up north seems futile and far away.
Two thousand years ago the town of Gigondas was a vacation spot for Roman soldiers. They named the place jucunditas, a latin word that means enjoyment, delight, and pleasure. The spelling has changed a little since then, but the charm of the place has not. Today it’s as quaint and pleasant a town as any in France — and it’s got delicious wine to match.
The Domaine les Goubert’s Gigondas is among the most consistent wines in our lineup. Jancis Robinson and Robert Parker consider them a “reference point” for the village. We’ve been enjoying their Gigondas since the early 1990s, and we haven’t seen a bad vintage yet. But the 2012 is nothing short of exceptional. It’s dark and smooth and full, with pleasant red fruits playing beautifully off the provencal spices below.
The nose shows bright red flowers and dark rich fruit, hitting high notes and low notes simultaneously in a harmony unusual even for the Cartier family. The mouth is sturdy and meaty, with cool dark tannins and impressive length. Serve this with grilled meats, rustic salads, or hard sheep’s milk cheese, particularly on a picnic.
If you’re ever in the South of France, we strongly recommend a visit to Gigondas — you’ll see why the Romans came back year after year. But if it’s charm and enjoyment and joie de vivre you’re after, this bottle will get you most of the way there.
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GOUBERT Gigondas 2012
Ansonia Retail: $30
case, half-case: $25/bot
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AVAILABLE IN 6- AND 12- BOTTLE LOTS
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or call Tom: (617) 249-3657
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Terms of sale. Ansonia Wines MA sells wine to individual consumers who are 21 or more years of age, for personal consumption and not for resale. All sales are completed and title passes to purchasers in Massachusetts. Ansonia Wines MA arranges for shipping on behalf of its customers upon request and where applicable laws permit.