It isn’t enough to anoint Domaine la Bouïssiere the premier producer of Gigondas: I’ll take it a step further and call it one of the greatest estates in the entire south of France. Perched high in the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail, the spiky mountain range that dominates France’s Vaucluse region, this pioneering property discovered something important about the Southern Rhône Valley—altitude matters.
In the 1960s, Antonin Faravel became a local legend in Gigondas when he climbed higher than anyone else would dare, carving his vineyards from dramatically steep, limestone cliffs reaching to elevations of 500 meters. He knew instinctively that he’d get the plushness and ample body Southern Rhône reds are known for, but also the acid balance and tension so few of them achieve (especially these days). As we are so fond of saying at SommSelect, what separates the wheat from the chaff in the southern Rhône is exactly that: tension. The greatest reds of Châteauneuf-du-Pape manage it, and so does this 2018 from Thierry and Gilles Faravel, Antonin’s sons, who reliably turn out Gigondas wines that easily eclipse their pricier Châteauneuf cousins. This wine lands at the perfect point on the Rhône Grenache ripeness scale, right in its red-fruited, brightly perfumed sweet spot, right before more maturity would bring darker notes of liqueur and black licorice. A dollop of 25% Syrah adds backbone and spice to a wine that caresses the palate rather than bludgeoning it. It is as dramatic and memorable as the iconic mountain range that graces its label, and really should not be missed!
The Bouïssiere label is one of my all-time favorites, in fact, for its forthrightness: Rather than put a picture of their château or winery on the bottle, the Faravels want you to know where the character of their wine really comes from—and there is indeed a mineral underpinning to this wine that is often missing in the ultra-ripe modern-day produce of the Southern Rhône. There is also that rare look at what might be called the “Pinot side” of the Grenache grape: the more perfumed expression found most famously in the wines of Château Rayas. Ultimately, the inclusion of Syrah in this Gigondas takes it in a different direction, but there’s no question that Bouïssiere’s high-elevation vineyards—and old vines—produce fruit of exceptional balance.
The western foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail are where most of the key villages of the southern Rhône are located, including Gigondas, Vacqueyras, and Beaumes-de-Venise. Antonin Faravel worked at the legendary Domaine Pierre Amadieu in Gigondas for more than 30 years, passing along his incomparable knowledge of the local terroir to Thierry and Giles. Their pioneering “Grand Bouïssiere” vineyard in Gigondas was planted between 1963 and 1966, much of it on terraces to combat the steep pitches of the slopes. In addition to being one of the highest-elevation sites in Gigondas, it has a northwestern aspect, which mitigates some of the sunlight intensity. So, while there is no shortage of ripeness and intensity in the Bouïssiere Gigondas, it is in balance. It has energy, enough to “carry” its elevated alcohol with ease.
Then there’s the texture, which evokes sunny, sultry, “Mediterranean” France: This 2018 is voluptuous and ready to drink, but should continue to evolve over the next 5-7 years if kept well. Decant it for 30 minutes before serving in Bordeaux stems and you’ll see a wine with a deep ruby-black core moving to magenta and pink at the rim, with perfumed aromas of wild red and black berries, kirsch, raspberry, dates, licorice, lavender, mint, warm spice, scrub-brush, and dusty earth. It is powerful and nimble at once, an amazing feat that only a few southern Rhône reds manage to pull off consistently. Keep it on the cool side (60 degrees) and serve it with something that speaks to its southern French origins. We’re attaching the same lamb tagine recipe we suggested for the 2017 edition of this wine, because why mess with perfection? Enjoy!
