The last time we blind tasted Gigondas and Vacqueyras was mid-pandemic (October 2020), where social distancing rules prevented us from having our full complement of six tasters. While we were happy with the results the last time, we were eager to explore these wines again with a full table of tasters.
At the surprise reveal, we learned that we tasted both the Gigondas and Vacqueyras from of the same producers (Domaine La Bouïssiere and Château de Montmirail) and same vintage, making for an interesting comparison.
We enjoyed all the night's wines, and there were no duds. The lowest points went to the youngest bottles, both from the 2023 vintage, and coming off as a little too primary.
Thanks to Andy for helping with the photography.
First Place: Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas 2021. Tasters found scents of chocolate, bloody steak, bacon, vanilla, freshly brewed coffee, and asparagus. Intriguing. Gorgeous texture, coating but not heavy, with flavors of black pepper, plums, black cherry, almond extract, and hints of dill. Something stemmy, then something metallic on the finish. Lots of acidity. Kristin felt that "this would taste good in a leather chair." 15.5% alcohol. Kristin, Jamie, and Andy's favorite of the night, for a total of 26 points. David's bottle. About $65.
Second Place: Château de Montmirail Gigondas Beauchamp 2020. Elegant nose, featuring a powdery quality, plus brown sugar, and hints of iodine or seaweed. Black cherry, blackberry, cocoa powder, and chocolate flavors, with excellent intensity, then licorice on the finish. Hints of Robitussin. Not shy. Andy described it as "a demanding wine." 15.5% alcohol. Matt and David's favorite. 21 points. Matt's bottle. About $32.
Third Place: Château de Montmirail Vacqueyras Les Deux Frères 2020. Complex scents of violets, lilacs, cinnamon stick, pavement, hot stones, raspberries, black currants, iron, licorice, and iodine. Ripe in the mouth, featuring flavors of prunes, black pepper, and blueberries. Ends with soy/umami note. Balanced, structured, with good mouthfeel. David noted a hint of Nyquil, while Ali thought that it "takes you on a full ride." Jamie felt that the alcohol stood out, saying "it's coming in hot." 15% alcohol. 16 points. Kristin's bottle. About $32.
Yves Cheron Vacqueyras Grand Montmirail 2013. Hints of brick color. Smelled like a library, with a dusty vanilla note, but also pretty, with a singed rosemary quality. Ali detected "Desitin ointment", as well as "raw chicken", but later decided that this chicken was probably roasted with rosemary. The palate had some weight to it, with flavors of soy sauce, spearmint, green peppercorns, and a saline note. Structured. Ali decided that "it has intrigue." 14.5% alcohol. 14 points. Jamie's bottle. About $26.
Domaine La Bouïssiere Vacqueyras 2023. Smelled more youthful, with notions of rubber tire, plastic toy, and ash. Floral, suggesting lilies or geranium. Blueberries and rusty iron on the palate, with a mealy quality, then dill on the finish. A bit lacking in texture. Ali felt that "there's potential and some bad decisions." A little underwhelming overall, but not a bad wine. 14% alcohol. 6 points. Ali's bottle. About $40.
Domaine La Bouïssiere Gigondas 2023. Tasters found scents of eucalyptus, fresh fish, iodine, charcoal, and smoldering fire. Something metallic, like tin foil or aluminum foil. Plummy and juicy in the mouth, this came across as unexpectedly fruity, but with plenty of acidity. Tasted young. A cantaloupe note. 14% alcohol. No points. Andy's bottle. About $46.
APRIL 2026: GIGONDAS & VACQUEYRAS #3
