This wine is one of the very few Southern Rhone wines that I sell and now it is one of my top Southern Rhone stalwarts. It comes to us from the wine store that has been the first store to sell pretty much every top Rhone producer you know, the "King of the Rhone" run by George and his extremely knowledgeable son, Charlie. Today's wine is from the estate of Domaine St. Gayan. The wines have a detail and care that you can tell comes from no tricks or enzymes but just hard "blankin" work. They have soul (even though I am growing to hate that term) soil and incredibly distinctive character.
I am no fan of most Grenache but Gayan, to me, transcends Grenache. And if Grenache is transcended, odds are I will like it, as great Grenache avoids the problems of mediocre Grenache. The heat, the stewed character, the bloatiness and broadness are all gone. I've tasted very highly regarded Grenaches that taste and act like some crazy drunk girl in the meat packing district on a summer night. Also known as a hot mess. But Gayan is not that. Not at all. These are wine of grace, distinction and character. I love them and they are on my very short list of top Southern Rhone wines.
I have gotten many emails from happy, even ecstatic customers letting me know that the 2011 Domaine St. Gayan Gigondas is the best Gigondas they have ever had. When I tasted it last February I instantly exclaimed it was the best Gigondas I have ever had. It was insane. A freak show. Or to put it old school, "a Fass Freak Show," which is what I used to call wines that just were so freakishly good, that also fell within my parameters. So pure and with vivid fruit, high acidity and a distinction unique to that wine which cannot be found in any other wine. That's pretty much a Fass Selection. Now I have the sequel. It's even better but it won't drink as well young as the 11 does. The 2012 Domaine St. Gayan Gigondas "In Nominae Patris" can be had for as little as $37.99 per bottle on the 3-pack (the picture is of the 2011). It has all that I loved in the Gigondas of my salad days. Dark color, loads of granite, clay, elemental mineral on the nose along with precisely defined Grenache aromas. So pretty and more importantly nuanced and complex. It has startlingly pure fruit, clean lines and such unbelievable precision. Grenache can often be one note. No wonder this is that complex as this is all from 100+ year old vines and offers a sucrosity only seen in wines only much more expensive. The 2012, ideally should be cellared for 2-5 years to come out of its shell. It is a bit angular now but on is it all there. Like Mozart at 2 years old. Crying so much and you just want to yell "shut up Wolfgang!" But then he starts playing the piano for 2 minutes and you know. You wait. He grows older, matured more and voila we have Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. It is aged in 5 year old 18 hl barrel. No new wood even dares to get close to this wine. It is more finesse driven and mineral than the 2011, and is a little less dense but the 2011 was the perfect storm. This is like a really bad ass Nor'Easter. The tannin builds slowly on the finish hinting this needs a few years to come into itself. Gayan only makes 1,000 bottles or so a vintage so this is VERY allocated.
2012 Domaine St. Gayan Gigondas "In Nominae Patris" $39.99 ($113.97 3-pack)
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