Given all we’ve said about the 2015 vintage in France (and the rest of Europe, for that matter), you’re probably wondering if today’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a beast. We were expecting just that when we pulled the cork on Château Gigognan’s “Clos du Roi,” and while it does not disappoint in the body department, it also blessed with great balance and nerve—the energy and refinement only a sure-handed vigneron can deliver.
Over our four years in business here at SommSelect, Gigognan has emerged as one of our go-to Châteauneuf producers, and this cuvée has an intriguing south-meets-north feel to its blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah. None of the other 11 authorized Châteauneuf grapes enter the picture, allowing these two noble varieties to share the spotlight, and as you sip this luscious, palate-coating red, you’ll find signature characteristics of each commingling seamlessly. As Châteauneuf-du-Pape drinkers know, this level of luxury doesn’t typically come cheap, which makes the price of this flagship bottling that much more surprising. This is a LOT of wine for the money, plain and simple!
Located in the village of Sorgues, at the southern end of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape zone, the Château de Gigognan dates back to the 12th century, when it was owned by the bishops of Avignon. It later became a priory, and later still fell into disrepair; in 1996 it was acquired by Jacques and Anne Callet, who’ve done extensive renovations to the vineyards, château, and winery, including opening a bed-and-breakfast on the property. Now farming 72 hectares across three appellations, including 30 in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, they were certified organic by Ecocert in 2010 (having employed the help of their friend Eloi Dürrbach, proprietor of the famed Domaine de Trévallon in Provence). They have also introduced some biodynamic practices, and it’s impossible not to attribute the great purity of fruit in this wine—not simply weight of extract, but depth and complexity of flavor—to this sustainable approach in the vineyards. The soils around Sorgues are characterized by shallow sand and clay scattered with limestone pebbles called galets roulés.
For all its freshly remodeled newness, Gigognan is a mix of old school and new when it comes to winemaking as well. Grapes are completely de-stemmed (Château Rayas, by contrast, uses whole clusters), and fermentations occur in a mix of stainless steel, cement vats, and open-topped wood barrels. “Clos du Roi” is aged in large, used oak foudre for 18 months before bottling.
While some experts might disagree, the 2015 “Clos du Roi” makes a case for the regulatory effects of vine age: The vineyard sources for this cuvée are around 35 years old, and while there’s no shortage of concentration in this 2015, it shows no pruny over-ripeness or ‘heat’ on the palate. In the glass, it’s an inky ruby leading to hints of pink and magenta at the rim with complex aromas of brandied cherries, raspberry, strawberry compote, black dates, licorice, baking spices, dark chocolate, dried herbs, and some roasted meat (it’s an ongoing push-pull of Grenache and Syrah sensations). It is full-bodied and velvety, its tannins fine-grained but providing a necessary counterbalance to the perfectly ripe fruit. For best results, decant Clos du Roi about an hour before serving it in large Bordeaux stems. Keep it on the cooler side, say 60 degrees, and try it alongside lamb or duck or something else suitably gamy and deeply flavored. We recommended the attached lamb recipe when we offered the 2014 vintage of this wine, and I’m hankering to revisit it. Enjoy!
