I really don’t do a top ten wines of year thing but if I did, we have a clear winner. Deep and oh so sexy. Pale gold with few bubbles but a lovely nose. Roasted hazelnuts and slivered almonds. White floral accents along with pure chalk and oyster shells. Plenty of citrus goodness and green apples. It just keeps going and going.
This champagne soars and it takes you along for the ride. Pure Chardonnay from Mesnil and pure is the word of the day. Purity of fruit and terroir. It’s a thrilling pour, one that demands your full attention. Vibrant and exceedingly expressive at this stage and it has miles and miles to go. Uber refined, this is just such a pleasure.
Explosive joy in the mouth. So much salinity and minerality. With age, it’s become rich and complex. It’s very Chablis like in parts. An initial burst of citrus in the mouth followed by smoke and chalk. More nuts and apples and just plain gloriousness. Long finish and yes you will absolutely want more. An excellent wine. A v sexy wine. Make sure to drink it with the right company. — a month ago
A buddy of mine and I dropped into one of my favorite little cafes in Omaha to get a bite and share a bottle. We grabbed a table and I scampered off to select something from the wall. As I walked over to the Rhone section, I began to scan the labels and about fell over when I saw three bottles of Gonon low-key just chillin…priced under $70. At this point, there was no question what we would be drinking tonight.
Popped and poured; no formal notes. I fully knew this was going to be somewhat considered infanticide but how was I going to pass this opportunity up? The nose is classic Northern Rhone with olives, black pepper, bacon fat and gorgeous blue and red fruits. The tannins are medium+; the acid matches. And the texture? Well, she thiccc but there is a sexy confidence that is enormously becoming. Finish is long and super satisfying. Fun to try young but I expect this to be a very lovely bottle for many years to come. Drink now with some patience (and an open mind) or through 2034 with ease. Oh…and you best believe we took the other two bottles home with us. — 21 days ago
One of the estate’s top cuvées, Mon Aïeul (“my granddad”) is 100% Grenache from some of the estate’s oldest vines (about 85-100 years of age) in La Crau, La Guigasse and Les Grandes Serres lieux-dits– each with a different type of soil.
Situated on an elevated plateau to the east of the village, La Crau is perhaps Châteauneuf’s most famous cru, known for its distinctive “galets roulés”, large, rounded river stones deposited here by the Rhône millions of years ago. To the south of the village, Les Grandes Serres is a very warm site on gravelly alluvial soils (and the source of the estate’s biggest wine, the 18% ABV “Not for You”). La Guigasse, on the other hand, is a cooler, sandier site with hardly any galets located on the northeastern part of the appellation, near the famous Pignan and Rayas lieux-dits (Chateau Rayas) — 13 days ago
Robert Mackie
Awesome drop! — 7 days ago