There’s nothing quite as exciting as getting in on the ‘ground floor’ of a producer heading straight to the top. It’s like discovering a life-changing band, or supporting a Michelin-starred restaurant on opening night—your devotion and intuition pays off in the long run. I felt that way when first tasting Font du Vent’s wines, having fallen in love with the Gonnet family’s ambition and talent long before I met this particular Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
They have humble beginnings and a dazzlingly bright future hand-crafting organic wines from some of the most enviable terroir in the appellation. The young brothers’ preference for cement tank fermentations and aging in 600-liter barrels means the purest, silkiest, most transparent expression of that famous fruit—wine grown on the rocks! Every sip is a testament to the magic of blending, a perfect synergy of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and a few other traditional varieties you’ll have to scroll down to discover. But while the methods and the blend might be traditional, the final bottle is sleek, juicy, full-bodied, and completely captivating. This is one luxurious and tantalizing collectible made by two young winemakers with a keen sense of tradition—it says it right there on the label! Snap some up while you can!
Nearly 200 years ago, Jean-Etienne Gonnet never imagined that his tiny farm in the southeast corner of Châteauneuf-du-Pape might one day be headquarters to a thriving winery. The original Domaine Font de Michelle was founded by Jean’s son, Etienne, in the 1950s, who planted vines across 30 hectares of adjoining land. They sold wine to négociants (merchants) but dreamt of bottling their own label in time. In 2006, the estate was passed to sons Bertrand and Guillaume, who have both studied enology in addition to working in Bordeaux, Burgundy, New Zealand, Australia, and the USA. Today, they’re bringing their family’s dream to fruition with real fervor and innovation. In recent years, Bertrand and Guillame have expanded their vineyard holdings to include some of the most exemplary fruit in the appellation. With the growth came a gentle rebranding to unite the family’s projects under a single label: Font du Vent, a beacon of superlative quality.
The Gonnets’ long history in the region means old vines: 50 to 110 years old and perfectly positioned on the southeast side of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation. All vineyard work is done by hand—they prefer the ‘old ways,’ not to mention the presence of galets roulés (large, rounded stones) complicates mechanization. While they do the important work of reflecting sunlight up onto the grapes, the stones wear out machinery and twist ankles at every opportunity. So, grapes are hand-harvested with particular care, a blend of 70% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and a final 10% consisting of Counoise, Cinsault, Terret Noir, Vaccarèse, Clairette and Bourboulenc. Thankfully there’s no test at the bottom of the bottle, which you’ll reach with alacrity given the flawless balance inherent to the blend. Châteauneuf-du-Pape at its best is seamless, and the Gonnet’s gentle aging in concrete, large wooden vats, and stainless steel reinforce the wonderful fluidity of this bottle.
That silkiness will only deepen after an hour of decanting, unleashing a glossy wave of fruits and spices after a swirl in the glass—wild raspberry, cassis, smoky garrigue. The presence of Syrah and Mourvèdre contributes purple-tinged velvetiness and an exotic note on the palate, like plums preserved in baking spices with faint accents of olive and meat. Meanwhile, the Grenache offers acidity and sensuous tannins for a lush, warm blend and a long finish. It would be a real shame to miss this opportunity to braise something; think saucy lamb shanks balanced on top of creamed mashed potatoes and parsnips. The shorter days are a great excuse to open a fuller-bodied bottle and savor it slowly through the evening. It doesn’t have to end with one night, though. This 2018 is brimming with energy and structure, and will continue to delight with heartier food (barbecue, anyone?) for the next 10 years. All of a sudden, Winter doesn’t seem so bad!
