In one of the last reviews before his death, Vinous’s Josh Raynolds wrote a lengthy piece in praise of Gigondas, a neighbor of Chateauneuf du Pape whose wines “continue to be among the best values in high-quality, small-production, domaine-bottled wines in all of France.” He praised the town for its “distinct elegance, even complexity on the young side,” and he thought the average quality in the application “remarkable.” Raynolds identified the Domaine Les Goubert (in the Cartier family since 1636) as “one of the appellation’s most venerable domaines.” He said the Goubert “wines today show a good deal of polish, in a positive way, with just the right degree of earthiness and grip to remind of their origins.” Winemaking at the domaine is in sure hands these days as Florence Cartier has progressively taken over from her father as principal winemaker. Her tweaks to the winemaking in recent years have added to already fine quality.
One of the things we like about Les Goubert is the wide range of choices between entry level and the top of la gamme (the lineup). The domaine has wine at a price to fit just about any budget, and that has made Les Goubert one of our most widely purchased producers. For this Futures offering we have picked four wines — their entry level Côtes du Rhône and their luxury cuvée, along with two in between that we think are particularly compelling. The two in the middle — the Sablet rouge and the Gigondas — are from the 2020 vintage. Each of them seemed exceptional after they first arrived just over a year ago, and so we asked Florence to hold more of each for this offering.
There’s a sea of Côtes du Rhône out there, some good, some bad, and much indifferent. But Côtes du Rhône can also be a marker of winemaking quality. Skills that produce exceptional Gigondas also tend to elevate Côtes du Rhône. That is the case at the Domaine les Goubert. Their 2022 Côtes du Rhône is pleasant and instantly approachable, but it also shows a surprising amount of character. The grapes include Syrah and Grenache, of course, but there is also Carignan and Brun Argenté (a/k/a Vaccarese) to add interest. The fruit is nicely ripe, almost sweet, and a bit darker than you often see in such wine. There’s much more body and more persistence than usual at this level, and it will be a ready choice for drinking all year round, by itself or with dinner. Indeed, the 2022 vintage may be the best Côtes du Rhône we have seen from the Domaine.
The Domaine’s Sablet rouge 2020 continues to drink beautifully. In this wine Mourvedre joins Grenache and Syrah, adding a meaty element to the ripe dark fruit. The tannins are smooth and well-integrated, and the wine offers more intensity and complexity (and the potential for a longer life) than the Côtes du Rhône. Look for some provençal spice alongside the fruit. We were thrilled to see this still available, as we dramatically underbought the first time.
The Gigondas 2020 is a classic, showing just how good Gigondas can be. Raynolds awarded 93 points, and we communicate his enthusiasm by repeating his full description here:
Dark Magenta. Vibrant black raspberry and floral aromas are complemented by hints of garrigue and baking spices. Juicy, palate-staining red/blue fruit, fresh bay and candied lavender flavors deftly blend power and delicacy and show fine definition. This shows an impressively long, floral- and spice-driven finish that’s framed by smooth, slowly building tannins.
That’s a mouthful, but then so is the wine. And as Raynolds put it, “Gigondas wines can be enjoyed soon after release but have the depth and balance to mature with ease.” Put some of this wine in your cellar and you can expect years of pleasure from it.
The Domaine’s luxury cuvée is Gigondas “Cuvée Florence,” created soon after thirty-something winemaker Florence’s birth. It’s a blend of equal parts Grenache and Syrah, chosen from the best patches of vines. With it the Cartiers indulged their fondness for red Burgundy by raising the wine in small oak barrels, half of them new, for two years. This makes a big wine that generally needs time to knit together, but the results are complex and ageworthy. As Raynolds said: “After release, the wine shows a decidedly modern style for a while, but patience is rewarded in spades. Both the 2018 and 2019 versions, the current releases, are superb and in the upper tier of bottlings from those vintages.” Sadly, Raynolds was never able to taste the 2020 vintage offered here, but it is of a piece with its predecessors.
GOUBERT
(case prices)
Cotes-du-Rhône 2022: $195
Sablet 2020: $235
Gigondas 2020: $295
Gigondas “Florence” 2020: $495