The MOST Misunderstood Producer in the Whole Portfolio - Ultimately an Epic Fail By Me Which I Hope To Rectify (Read On)

Decanted Properly - These Are The Stuff of Genius
Without a Proper Decant - They're Just OK
These Wines Are Very Serious Even Though They Are Relatively Inexpensive 

"I guess I should have told everyone to decant these for a while before I sold them."
Lyle Fass 

For whatever reason, some wines tend to get overlooked or lost in the shuffle. As each one of these
producers is like my children, I don't want anyone to get overlooked. It keeps me up at night. It really does. The one producer that is the poster child for under-appreciated producers is Sylvain Gauthier of the Domaine des Pierres Seches. I adore his wines. He is an incredibly, talented and very serious winemaker. He only started in 2007 but makes such serious wines that if you don't treat them right, which I mean, is properly decant/cellar them they will be lost on most people. It happens. Some wines are not what we want them to be, but just are they they are. That is what I love most about Sylvain's wines. Some of our most knowledgeable clients who drink tons of great wines on a daily basis from all over the world consistently rave about Gauthier (after an appropriate decant) and put him at the top of the pack when it comes to pure bang for the buck. It is critical to air these out. Ignore that they are inexpensive (because I buy direct from the winery) and ignore that one is a "simple" Ardeche Syrah, these wines fill in and come together with air like nothing else I've ever experienced. They are both utterly classic examples of their respective appellations.

First up is the 2014 Domaine Pierres Seches Syrah for as little as $19.99 a bottle on a 4-pack. The most important thing about this wine is do not treat it like a $20 bottle of wine. This needs a 2-3 hour decant. It's quite simple until the 2-3 hour mark.  You know how really great Champagne or Riesling can be just so focused it just jolts you out of your seat?  This wine has that quality.   You drink it and you're like BAM that's pure Syrah fruit.  This wine is simply put, stunning and the best effort yet of this cuvee. Terrific nose of bright and sweet fruit and loads of spice and some bacon floral elements. Stunning, stunning textbook balance and freshness on the palate.  A really, really well made bottle of entry level wine that tastes like a much more expensive wine, after the requisite aeration. There's a lot of complexity here for an entry level wine.  Nothing better than decomposed granite and Syrah, which gives it this backbone of minerality under all that juicy fruit. Almost like licking a stone in the best possible way.  Remember this is a $20 wine that would be $30 at normal 3 tier retail - it's a lot more serious than it seems.

At $20, you will not find a better Syrah.  Period.


Next up we have the Grand Vin, the 2013 Domaine Pierres Seches St. Joseph which can be had for $26.99 on a 4-pack. Beautiful and dazzlingly pure nose of sweet red cherries and spice. Very exotic was my initial impression but also with so much to like. Actually love. The palate is terrific, elegant and spicy with very pure and very sweet fruit. Long velvety tannins and just loads of class. I can imagine like most Gauthier wines this will take a while to open. In my experience this will demand a 3-5 hour decant which I know is not ideal, but it is so worth it. Wine just is smoking and fills out like you won't believe but it does it on its own timetable. For more immediate gratification in St. Joseph I have Domaine de Cote de la Epine and Domaine Les Alexandrins. They only need the requisite 2 hours to fully open up. This is serious, powerful wine that is made in an uncompromising style. He reminds me of Billard Gonnet in a way in that all his wines are so serious. He makes a rose that is just beautiful and needs 1-3 years in the cellar. I'd venture to guess the 2013 St. Joseph will be in its prime drinking window from 2018 on. And today with some aggressive decanting you will be able to enjoy one of the best values in the book. The 2013 St. Joseph is from vines planted in the 1960's in decomposed granitic soils from Sarras, Aras and Vion. Vinified in steel vats and fermented with wild yeasts and then aged in oak for 12-14 months with 90% of the grapes destemmed turns this into a very serious wine.  Remember this is a $27 wine that would be $40+ at normal 3 tier retail - it's a lot more serious than it seems.

2014 Domaine des Pierres Seches Syrah - $21.99 ($79.96 4-pack)

2013 Domaine des Pierres Seches St. Joseph - $28.99 ($107.96 4-pack) (LIMITED)