Private Collection - Gourt de Mautens: 1998-2016 Plus Large Format!
1/22/2025
As many of you are well aware, we are very lucky to bring in some excellent private collections that we get to offer as part of a region. Less commonly (but excitingly) we have a cellar that contains so much from one producer that perfectly fits the Chambers ethos that we can highlight on its own.
Today we bring you ten vintages from Domaine Gourt de Mautens, a biodynamic producer from Rasteau, a small region from within Vaucluse in the Southern Rhone. In 2010 the labeling switched over to IGP Vaucluse as the Rasteau AOC began limiting which varieties were permitted to be grown, Jérôme made the decision to change the label instead of changing the makeup of his wines. The reds are a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, Cinsault, Vaccarese, and Terret Noir from vines that are 30-100 years old. Grapes are hand harvested, triple sorted and crushed and fermented with natural yeasts in tronconic oak vats. It is then aged 24-36 months in concrete, foudres, and French oak demi-muids.
We opened up the 2015 and 2016 together in store recently and were blown away by the beauty, precision, and true difference between the two. The 2015 had a beautiful bright ruby color with initial notes of cherry, raspberry, and strawberry with a hint of rose hip and oregano. It was bright on the palette with medium tannins and brought lots of fruit. While having a lot of body the wine still felt bright and lifted. The 2016 was much darker in color as well as fruit. With notes of black plum, and black cherry it has much smokier aromas. On the palette this wine was big! Riper fruited, bold, and luscious with an incredibly long finish. Both of these wines, as well as their back vintage counterparts would be fantastic alongside grilled or stewed meats.
Jérôme's white wine is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Grenache Gris, Bourboulenc, Clairette, Picardan, Roussanne, Marsanne, Viognier, Picpoul Blanc, and Picpoul Gris from 30-50 year old vines. Grapes are hand harvested with natural yeast fermentation then aged 10-18 months in both tank and French oak demi-muids. These are intense, rich, powerful whites that still carry great tension. These qualities make the wines great for roasted white meats, and cheese!
I know it is cold here in New York, but if anything can warm you up, these southern Rhône beauties will do the trick. And remember... magnums show you care!
-Hanna Krilov
