In a recent column, Vinous’s Rhône reviewer Josh Raynolds returned to one of his favorite subjects: Gigondas. This southern Rhône neighbor to Châteauneuf-du-Pape is perennially underrated; or as Raynolds writes: “Gigondas continues to be among the best values in high-quality, small production wines in all of France.”
We agree, and both of our producers here (Goubert and Joncuas) received terrific notes from Raynolds. Their styles diverge notably – Goubert toward polish and sophistication, Joncuas toward old-school, organic, and exquisitely complex. Today we’re focused on Joncuas, which Raynolds calls “a true insiders’ producer…with recent vintages their best yet.”
Winemaker Dany Chastan is the granddaughter of the founder, and she’s successfully raised the quality without abandoning the style. “These are true, old-school renditions of Gigondas,” writes Raynolds – whole clusters, ambient yeasts, not even mention of new oak.
Chastan’s 2019 Gigondas is a triumph, and just the ticket for a cozy winter afternoon. The nose explodes with black raspberry, plum, spice, earth and cedar; the mouth is rich and palate-coating but with excellent definition and exceptional length. Raynolds awarded 92 points, finding a “silky texture” with an “energetic, long, sappy finish” with “supple tannins that add shape and subtle grip.”
Hang up your skis, throw on your slippers, and curl up with a glass of masterful southern red.
____________________________
Joncuas Gigondas 2019
bottle price: $38
