Domaine Saint-Damien 2010 La Louisiane - 92pts

Domaine Saint-Damien 2010 La Louisiane (Gigondas) Rhône Valley - France

Availability: Limited availability. Private wine stores.
Cost: $35-38
Alcohol: 15%
Date Tasted: May 20th, 2016

Tasting Notes: From the cellar. A superb Gigondas sourced from the Domaine's red alluvial soil plots in the appellation nicknamed "La Louisiane". Reliably a blend of 80% Grenache and 15% Mourvedre with the remaining 5% a split of Syrah and Cinsault, offering a robust, developed bouquet of ripe, spicy-blueberry, clove, anise, dried cherry, sweet coffee, cooking spice and stinky cheese aromas. 

The dry palate is formidable with great, flavour intensity and a rich, glycerol-infused body. The finish is long with pepper, herbs, cocoa powder and dried blackberry flavours lingering. 

Just starting to mature. Give it another 2 years in the cellar to begin to peak. Drink 2018-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2016 IconWines.ca

Domaine Saint-Damien 2011 Gigondas - 91+pts

Domaine Saint-Damien 2011 Vieilles Vignes (Gigondas) Rhône Valley - France

Availability: Limited availability. Private wine stores.
Cost: $35-38
Alcohol: 15%
Date Tasted: June 6, 2015

Tasting Notes: A gorgeous, rich, warm and raisonated blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre sourced from 40 year old vineyards in the Gigondas AOC. Deep and layered with intense dark fruit, garrigue, earth, sweet plum, cigar box, spice and cedar aromas and flavours. Barely ready, better to wait another 2-3 years prior to opening. Drink 2017-2022.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2015 IconWines.ca

Xavier Vins 2010 Gigondas - 88pts

Xavier Vins 2010 Gigondas (Southern Rhone) France

Availability: Limited. Private wine shops
Cost: $32-36
Alcohol: 14.5%
Date Tasted: December 7th, 2013

Tasting Notes: Overall, great continuity from the excellent 2009 edition is on offer here, though, the intensity on the nose and palate is simply dialled down, resulting in a paler version of the spicy garrigue, herbs cedar and dried berry fruit Gigondas blend. Masculine from beginning to end with mineral notes throughout and meaty, well-structured tannins. Should hold well for another 3-4 years.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2013 IconWines.ca

Xavier Vins 2009 Gigondas - 90pts

Xavier Vins 2009 Gigondas (Southern Rhone) France

Availability: Limited. Private wine shops
Cost: $32-36
Alcohol: 14.5%
Date Tasted: September 13th, 2013

Tasting Notes: A masculine Gigondas with spicy garrigue, cedar, dried plum, berry fruit and loads of river stone mineral aromas. The mouth-watering, concentrated, dry palate offers a generous blend of fleshy, berry fruits and savoury, herbal flavours supported by well-structured, mannered tannins with the continuity of mineral notes from the nose.

Gigondas, from the wine buyer's expectations perspective, should fit somewhere between quality Côtes du Rhône and entry-level Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the Xavier offering fits the bill. Better structure and balance than CDR, without the complexity or price tag of CDP.
 - Liam Carrier ©copyright 2013 IconWines.ca