Carignan Archives - Time To Unwine-D

Visiting Gigondas

After visiting the Northern Rhone Valley, Gigondas was our next stop.

Gigondas is a charming village located near Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Southern Rhone. It is also an appellation that produces some fabulous wines, both red and rosé, with its vineyards sitting below the dramatic rock formation called the Dentelles de Montmirail.

For many decades all of the wines of Gigondas were simply Côtes-du-Rhône, but in 1966 they were elevated to Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages. In 1971 Gigondas was deservingly awarded its own appellation. By law, the red wines of Gigondas can be made of no more than eighty percent Grenache, and no less than fifteen percent Syrah and/or Mourvedre. The remaining blending varietal is usually Cinsault, but may be any other red Rhone varietal except Carignan.

One of the top producers of Gigondas is Domaine de Cayron. I have some of their wines in my home cellar and was excited to visit them. Sadly when I arrived for my tasting the winery was closed and I received no response to my knocks on the door or rings of their bell.

Thankfully, not far down the road sits the Caveau du Gigondas. Here one can taste a plethora of Gigondas wines (over one hundred!), including wines from Domaine de Cayron! The tasting room is a large, modern space that has many wines along the walls. At the tasting bar we bellied up and were offered as many tastes as we liked, all being poured from small bottles that were filled directly from barrel at the respective winery.

My husband and I tried many, but not all, of the wines. One of our favorites was the 2010 Domaine La Bouïssiere Gigondas Le Font de Tonin. This full-bodied wine is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20 % Mourvedre. Its floral and dark fruits on the palate are well concentrated with nice minerality. We bought a couple of bottles that will sit in our cellar for a few years, because they need some more time to evolve.

The Caveau du Gigondas is a GREAT place to taste. It was quite busy while we were there, but nonetheless the service was wonderful and the fellow tasters very friendly. We were given a written list of each wine available to taste, and we were able to pick and choose our preferences. One man we met had tasted them all!!! I sure do hope that he wasn’t driving!!!

If you’re in Gigondas be sure to plan a visit. They are located right next to the town hall and the tourist information office. They are closed on Christmas Day and New Years Day, along with 15 days in January. Otherwise they are open daily from 10am – 12pm and 2pm until 6pm. You can check out their website at: http://www.caveaudugigondas.com/

2007 Domaine Catherine Le Goeuil Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne

My husband is out of town, so I spent some time rifling through our cellar last night to find a wine for just me. In celebration of my upcoming trip to the Rhone Valley, I decided on a half bottle of the 2007 Domaine Catherine Le Goeuil Côtes du Rhône Villages Cairanne.

Cairanne, located in the French departement of Vaucluse, is a small village located between the Rhone River and the famous Dentelles de Montmirail mountain chain. Along with its neighbors Beaumes-de-Venise, Rasteau, Sablet, and Seguret, Cairanne is considered one of the five best areas allowed to use the Côtes du Rhône Villages AOC distinction. The red wines of this region require a minimum of 50% Grenache and at least 20% Syrah and/or Mourvèdre; other permitted varieties (Counoise, Cinsault and Carignan among others) must not exceed 20%.

Catherine Le Goeuil is a bit of a trailblazer. She was born in the Congo to French parents, but had always wanted to “return to her roots”. In 1993 she and her family bought this six-hectare domaine. After their first chemical treatment to the vineyards she became very ill, and she realized that if these chemicals made HER ill, they would also make the vines ill. She began the conversion to organic farming and today her winery is now certified organic.

And now for the wine! On the nose are bright berry aromas with a hint of fresh flowers and some damp earth. The palate of this medium bodied wine is very pleasing with spicy red currant, thyme and good acidity. This is a very pleasant wine possessing a substantial finish with black pepper and hints of the terroir.

I saved a glass for tonight and had it with a fresh salad drenched in a very garlicky dressing, along with a chunk of Beemster XO Gouda from Holland. It was a great pairing with both.

There are many lovely Côtes du Rhône and Côtes du Rhône Villages wines on the market here in North America. A lot of these wines are of great value and don’t break the bank. This wine is one of them!