For years, Gigondas was a savvy wine collector’s secret: near-Châteauneuf-level complexity and richness, at a substantial discount. But even as its name has spread and prices have crept up, the price-value ratio in Gigondas remains unusually good. As Vinous’s Josh Raynolds put it after tasting several hundred cuvées recently, “in the context of the world’s best wines, almost every Gigondas delivers solid and even remarkable value.”
Last spring we stumbled upon an exciting property, the Clos du Joncuas — a century-old domaine making old school Gigondas with extraordinary finesse and texture. The winemakers here use ambient yeasts, no oak (not even foudres), 100% whole cluster, no fining or filtering.
We’re nearing the end of our stock of this delicious 2016, and it keeps getting better.
The Joncuas technique sounds like a recipe for a massive, rustic wine, but sisters Dany and Carol Chastan somehow manage to produce wines of superb texture and subtlety. The Joncuas Gigondas 2016 is magnificent. It’s 80% grenache (some from centenarian vines), with the rest Mourvèdre and Cinsault. The fruit is clean and very pure, with a gorgeous silky texture and notes of violets, raspberry, garrigue, and spice. Think of it as Grenache that wants to be Syrah.
Vinous and Wine Advocate booth awarded 93 points, finding it “big and balanced,” “plush,” finishing “silky, sweet, and impressively long.” Close your eyes and this is easily a Châteauneuf-du-Pape; open them and it’s an astonishing amount of wine for under $40.
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Joncuas Gigondas 2016
bottle price: $39
