2010 Gigondas, Les Garancières, Domaine Santa Duc ($17.99)
I’m not the biggest fan of the rich, red, powerful wines made in the famous southern Rhône villages (like Gigondas)…but two things can attract me to them:
1) Wines with some age; and
2) Wines from more elegant vintages.
For a few years now, the American press has been squawking about 2009, a hot, fat, sometimes-too-ripe vintage that missed my bullseye by a country mile. Just before the release of the 2010s, these one-year-after wines came my way, as I was tasting through the Rhône Valley in spring 2011. Voila! I knew that I was destined to be a fan of this leaner, lighter, more elegant and more complex vintage. Just this week I came across this wine from Santa Duc, one of the lovelier 2010s—from a producer who used to go full-force ultra-ripe but, over the last decade, has completely flipped his style. Medium-garnet in the glass. Subtle nose of red fruit and hints of spice. On the palate, so much more graceful than the 2009s (and a lot of 2010s!) Comes across the finish line with bracing cranberry-like acid, and soft, soft tannin. Should age beautifully over 3-5 years.
Wine4Food
Drink now (or later!) with grilled meat that’s cooked more than rare, or with dark meat stews.
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