Clos du Joncuas 2016 Gigondas

(Tasted January 2023: Lovely nose, perfect balance, great finish, more structured than the 2015, hold a few more years)  80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, on Triassic clay/limestone soils, always farmed organically. Whole cluster fermentation in vat with 12 months aging in large old barrels. The 2016 is another beautiful Gigondas from the Clos du Joncuas, perhaps with less fat and density than the 2015 but quite elegant and more Burgundian in style. The aromas sing of black cherry liqueur, licorice, black olive and garrigue; the palate is dense and focused with blackberry, cherry, black olive, bitter chocolate and earth with nice sappy length with firm acidity. Drinking well now, decant if possible, or hold for five years, then drink until about 2035.   David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2015 Gigondas

(Tasted January 2023: Beautiful nose, gorgeous fruit, a bit softer and richer than the 2016, great finish, delicious!) 80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, on Triassic clay/limestone soils, always farmed organically. Whole cluster fermentation in vat with 12 months aging in large old barrels. Although we love this beautifully old-fashioned, organic wine in every vintage, Dany and Carole Chastan have made perhaps their best wine ever in 2015! The wine shows deep aromas of blackberry, dark chocolate, prune, garrigue, musk and citrus, quite focused and elegant. The palate is pure, supple and balanced, even at 15% alcohol, with dense blackberry, tart cherry, red currant, spice, earth and minerals, with tart red fruits, minerals and citrus in the very long finish. This is a superb Gigondas that can be enjoyed immensely now with a steak, pork or lamb chops, Morrocan tagines and full-flavored cheeses. Cellar 10 to 15 years for a mature experience. This is a superb wine and a great value - thanks to Carole and Dany for their great farming and traditional winemaking!

Clos du Joncuas 2015 Gigondas Esprit de Grenache VV

This is Gigondas at its finest! 100% Grenache from massale selection old vines, fermented in cement, and aged in large oak vats before being bottled unfined and unfiltered with minimal added sulphur. 2015 is a great vintage for Dany and Carole Chastan at the Clos du Joncuas, and their 2015 Esprit de Grenache is simply outstanding. Since 1900 the estate has been farmed organically and the winemaking here is completely traditional with whole-cluster fermentations and aging in old foudres. Tasted at the estate in January of 2017, the wine showed dense elegant black fruit aromas with licorice and earth. The palate is pure and long with deep blackberry flavors with olive, earth, citrus and bitter chocolate - just fantastic! As with all the 2015s here, the wine is delicious in its youthful fruit and intensity, but ten to fifteen years of aging will reveal a truly great southern Rhone Grenache. Very highly recommended! DL

Clos du Joncuas 2011 Gigondas

Tasted in January of 2019 in France, the 2011 Clos du Joncuas Gigondas showed beautifully, opening up nicely with flavors  of earthy  cherry, blackberry and garrigue, with licorice and spice in the long finish, really ready to drink, although five more years would bring a softer and more secondary experience. Highly recommended.  David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2016 Vacqueyras La Font de Papier

From 80% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre, grown on gravelly limestone terraces, always farmed organically, whole-cluster fermention and aged in concrete vats.  Dany and Carole Chastan have made another superb Vacqueyras in 2016, a bit brighter than the opulent 2015 version, showing dark black/red color and bright aromas of  blackberry, black olive and licorice with plum skin, garrigue, violet and bitter chocolate.  This young wine is showing deep black fruits with firm acidity and terrific length with chalky mineral notes, earth, citrus and olive. This will be fantastic with grilled foods, stews and tagines and will develop nicely over the next 10 - 15 years. Highly recommended and a great value!  David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2015 Séguret La Garancière

70% Grenache, with Carignan, Syrah and Mourvèdre, always farmed organically, hand harvested, whole-cluster wild yeast fermentation, aged in cement vat, un-fined, unfiltered. The 2015 Seguret shows a very dark red/black color, with aromas of ripe cherry and strawberry liqueur, prune, earth, stone and provençal spices. The palate is quite dense and supple with black berry, prune and earth with red currant and floral notes backed with firm citrusy acids, very saline and long in the finish. This is a big, solid wine that has opened up nicely over the past year, becoming softer, velvety and complex - just delicious! It will accompany steaks, chops and burgers, a daube niçoise, tagines and full flavored cheeses. It's a fabulous value for drinking over the next five years. David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2018 Cotes du Rhone Villages Seguret Blanc

50% Clairette (some vines 100 years-old) with Marsanne, Roussanne and Viognier, always organically farmed, wild yeast fermentation, aged in enamel vat.  Floral dried pear, apricot, hay, thyme aromas. Ripe pear, stone, caramel, lemon, anise on the palate. A complex, ripe wine with a supple palate but with good acidity that will pair with fish stews, shellfish, pork and chicken dishes as well as full-flavored goat cheeses. This is an outstanding Southern Rhône white and a great value!  David Lillie

Clos du Joncuas 2018 Gigondas Rosé

This is a beautiful Gigondas Rosé from our organic friends at Clos du Joncuas. Pretty bright pink/orange color, aromas of raspberry, tart cherry, blood orange, peach skin and rose. Full palate with silky raspberry, peach, citrus  and mineral flavors and firm acidity, beatifully balanced and refreshing. Long finish with tart cherry, peach, earth, and citrusy acids. A bit riper and more expressive than the 2017, and still young – it should open up nicely over the next two years. It's elegant and delicious now and very food-friendly – serve with grilled fish and white meats, salade nicoise, vegetarian dishes and Provençal foods. A great rosé to enjoy all year-round!

Clos du Joncuas 2006 Gigondas

What do we have here? Old-fashioned Gigondas? We are seldom fortunate enough to taste these.

Clos du Joncuas farms organically, vinifies whole-cluster in concrete, and does élevage in old large casks. The color of the 2006 is a bright intense ruby. The nose is floral, black-fruited, plummy with savory hints of animale and garrigue. This evolves into spicy and earthy notes without losing any sense of ripe-not overripe-fruit. There is good richness to the palate; the ripe fruit is at the forefront with a significant counter-balance of earth. Black pepper, violets, leather follow on the mostly-resolved, long finish. There is a hint of dryness, perhaps from the old oak, but no sense of austerity. Consider it refined rusticity.

Was lovely paired with grilled lamb and Borlotti beans.

Clos du Joncuas 2010 Gigondas

80% Grenache with Mourvedre, Cinsault and Syrah, always farmed organically. Whole cluster fermentation in vat with 12 months aging in large old barrels. This is a dense, old-school Gigondas that needs time. Dark purple/black color, deep blackberry aromas with earth, brown spice, prune and licorice. The palate is deep and dense with blackberry, garrigue, earth and mineral flavors framed in firm tannins and acidity  Long finish of earthy minerals and black fruits. (April 2015)  Tasted in January 2017 at the estate, the wine showed fabulous aromas of berry liqueur, earth, mint, garrigue and licorice; the palate was beautifully structured, deep, elegant and balanced with firm acidity and a great finish. Ten years from maturity but beautiful now with a steak if you can't wait... Bravo to the Chastan family for continuing to make wines like this!