Florence Cartier continues to steer her family’s Domaine les Goubert with a deft and steady hand. She’s converted nearly all of her plots to organic and has managed to adapt her winemaking style to the blazing hot provencal summers.
The resulting wines are the best she’s made: clear expressions of rugged southern terroir with impeccable balance and with remarkable pricing. They’re food friendly, crowd-favorites, and ready to drink early. We’ve (finally!) restocked on her flagship Gigondas cuvée, and the world feels in balance.
Goubert’s 2023 Gigondas has all the hallmarks of a classic Rhône red, but with extra depth, detail and class. It’s a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault, with a splash of Clairette (a white grape) thrown in for aromatics. It is raised fully in tank (no oak) and neither fined nor filtered. The nose is a gorgeous perfume of strawberry jam and earthy garrigue. The mouth is solid and smooth, but with a fresh texture across a juicy, delicious, low-alcohol (13.5%) palate.
Vinous’s reviewer found it “round and harmonious” with “excellent freshness on the juicy finish,” concluding “the 2023 will be approachable right out of the gate.” This drinks like a Châteauneuf-du-Pape but with a pricetag somehow still sub-$40.
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Goubert Gigondas 2023
bottle price: $35
