Valbelle Gigondas Red Rhone Blend

We tasted nine Gigondas, 2003-2010, from Domaine Saint-Damien, Domaine Santa Duc and Chateau de Saint Cosme, considered by many to be the top three domaines.  Our #5

We have enjoyed a lot of Gigondas lately but this may be a favorite.

Given the age, I am impressed. Elegant and long lasting flavours with beautifully integrated herbaceous flavours. While great, it did not meet expectations, given its high journalistic praise.

Dark berries, smoke, minerals. Perfectly resolved and ideal drinking right now.

Fig, pomegranate, plum, mint, leather and rose. It gives the impression of sweetness - red licorice even. Spring-like, and still with a long life ahead.

Intense but slightly awkward this time. I've got another bottle I bet is better.

This was really good. Tasted blind, I thought it a CdP. But did get 2007 right. Smooth and very well balanced.

Nice compliment to our lamb. Figs, dark berry. Lingering after taste.

Amazing. Dark berry and black cherry with a bit of an herbal edge riding in on a black velvet magic carpet.

2011, maybe a little young and tannic but a good wine, should be really tasty in a few years