Nearly all of the domaines we work with here in France are family businesses. Some have been passed down for centuries, others feature three generations in business at once. As a family business ourselves, we love seeing the dynamics of small family enterprises play out on this side of the Atlantic.
And nowhere is this more charmingly evident than with the Cartier Family at the Domaine les Goubert in Gigondas. Florence Cartier took over winemaking duties several years ago and the results have been terrific, but her parents (the original winemakers) are never far from the tasting room. During our visit Monday Florence took us back to see the mise-en-bouteille in progress — and, sure enough, there was mother Mireille running the bottling line, and father Jean-Pierre driving the forklift.
Florence’s wines are excellent on their own, but for us, the cheerful family behind them makes them even more enjoyable.
Our only white wine from Goubert is an unusual and delicious blend of viognier and roussanne. Both grapes are floral and very aromatically expressive, but Florence has expertly steered them into a neat package with excellent tension and cut.
The nose shows white flowers and peaches, with exotic spices and pineapple. The mouth is round and smooth but crisp, with excellent depth and lush notes of pear and citrus. This is a great food wine, particularly with hard-to-pair greens like asparagus or salads. We plan to serve this on Easter Sunday afternoon in a few weeks.
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Goubert Favoris blanc 2019
bottle price: $28
