WTN: 2007 Santa Duc Gigondas

[David M. Bueker]

Yet another Rhone wine that sports the positive characteritics of the ripe 2007 vintage. There's whole lot of black fruit here, and it masks the more dusty, herbal elements that complete the "Rhone nose." There's some structure to uphold all the fruit, though that is also well masked. This can be drunk with great pleasure now, and should reveal more of what it's got over the next 5-10 years.

[Ian Sutton]

David
Good to see Santa Duc still on form - one of the three names (the others are du Cayron and St Cosme) that always come to mind when I think of Gigondas.
regards
Ian

[David M. Bueker]

Those are pretty much the only 3 I buy.

[Jonathan Loesberg]

David
Good to see Santa Duc still on form - one of the three names (the others are du Cayron and St Cosme) that always come to mind when I think of Gigondas.
regards
Ian

I'm not as fond of either St. Cosme or Santa Duc. If your Gigondas needs to be beatified, I'd suggest St. Damien. I also like Raspail-Ay, Gour de Chaulé and Pourra.

[Jenise]

This is a really appropos-of-nothing comment, but a few weeks ago I found a 2002 Santa Duc in my cellar and cycled through the "oh my/awful vintage/should have drunk it sooner/might have to feed it to the azaleas" kind of thoughts. But oh my, what a lovely wine it was. Whatever doom prevailed in that region (rain, right?), it missed Santa Duc and this was a very very worthy bottle of wine. Great fruit, spicy and long, with years to go on it. I am an idiot not to hunt these wines down year after year, but the truth is I rarely own them because I just don't run into them.

[Ian Sutton]

Jonathan
Ta for the reccos - Raspail-Ay is the only one AFAIK I've heard of before, so will keep an eye out for them & give them a go. It's a region we've had a decent success rate with so far so extra tips more than welcome.

Jenise
... I'm not surprised. Vintage is important with wine, but on balance us wine geeks have gone too far in drilling home what the 'great' vintages are and what aren't. This can work as a positive in the secondary market, when a decent but not lauded vintage might go for 1/5 (or less) of the price of a prestige vintage. On balance, the probability of enjoying either bottle is a lot closer than the price might suggest.

I wonder if there's a recent vintage/region combination where there wasn't a single good & enjoyable wine made? I can't even think of a contender off the top of my head.

regards

Ian

[Bob Parsons Alberta]

Raspail-Ay...price has almost doubled here. Now close to $40 Cdn, used to buy for $23.

[Jenise]

Vintage is important with wine, but on balance us wine geeks have gone too far in drilling home what the 'great' vintages are and what aren't. This can work as a positive in the secondary market, when a decent but not lauded vintage might go for 1/5 (or less) of the price of a prestige vintage.

Ian, I would think you'd know me well enough by now to know I'm not a vintage chaser. I've bought a lot of great wine in unpopular, at least in Parker terms, vintages and have done my share of railing against the typecasting that relegates all vintages not crowned by Parker as 'great' to the dustbin of 'off vintages'. That said, the 02 Rhone vintage WAS in my experience quite dismal. I bought 7 or 8 different 2002 Rhones because they were such exceptional values, and I have to tell you that those wines mostly disappointed. Only this Santa Duc made me look smart, while well regarded producers like Clape and Brusset disappointed even for as little as $10 a bottle.

[Ian Sutton]

Jenise
Don't worry - I know you're no vintage chaser
regards
Ian

[David M. Bueker]

Jonathan - I used to see Raspail-Ay locally, but not anymore. I have never seen amy of the other wines you mention.

[Jonathan Loesberg]

Jonathan - I used to see Raspail-Ay locally, but not anymore. I have never seen amy of the other wines you mention.

I haven't seen Raspail-Ay stateside for awhile. But the place still makes good wines. St. Damien is relatively new (I first had it in 01) but it is imported. Macarthur's carries it. I'm sure others do. Try winesearcher. Same for Gour de Chaulé. Pourra tells me they are imported, so I assume they are, but truth to tell, I've only had it there. Alas, there are many more Gigondases then are dreamt of in the philosophies of our importers.

[Mark Lipton]

Jonathan - I used to see Raspail-Ay locally, but not anymore. I have never seen amy of the other wines you mention.

I haven't seen Raspail-Ay stateside for awhile. But the place still makes good wines. St. Damien is relatively new (I first had it in 01) but it is imported. Macarthur's carries it. I'm sure others do. Try winesearcher. Same for Gour de Chaulé. Pourra tells me they are imported, so I assume they are, but truth to tell, I've only had it there. Alas, there are many more Gigondases then are dreamt of in the philosophies of our importers.

Prof,
I agree about Raspail-Ay. Two producers that I like that don't appear on your list are Pallieres and Le Mas des Collines, the latter of which is brought in by J et R Selections in MI and the former by KLWM (of course).

Mark Lipton

[Jonathan Loesberg]

Jonathan - I used to see Raspail-Ay locally, but not anymore. I have never seen amy of the other wines you mention.

I haven't seen Raspail-Ay stateside for awhile. But the place still makes good wines. St. Damien is relatively new (I first had it in 01) but it is imported. Macarthur's carries it. I'm sure others do. Try winesearcher. Same for Gour de Chaulé. Pourra tells me they are imported, so I assume they are, but truth to tell, I've only had it there. Alas, there are many more Gigondases then are dreamt of in the philosophies of our importers.

Prof,
I agree about Raspail-Ay. Two producers that I like that don't appear on your list are Pallieres and Le Mas des Collines, the latter of which is brought in by J et R Selections in MI and the former by KLWM (of course).

Mark Lipton

I like Pallieres too but it's gotten priceyish. I don't know Mas des Collines. I'll look for it.