Gigondas
I first started experimenting with Gigondas wines about 10 years ago, when my income was much less (a recent cleaning of my files revealed that in 1997, my take-home was 20% of what it is now. Yes, that's a 5x increase in the last 10 years...). My most poignant memory of the grape comes from a business trip to Chicago. I had yet to spend my per-diem for the day; I spent 1/2 on a good bottle of Gigondas (about $40, but I don't recall exactly) and the rest on excellent pasta and an appetizer.
Gigondas is a French blend created in the Rhone Valley. The Rhone is famous for Chateauneuf du Pape and Cotes du Rhone. It contains Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. It's commonly considered a "cheap" alternative to Chateauneuf, and I subscribe in this case to the common opinion. Gigondas tends to have less "character" or "terroir" than the more spicy, peppery Chateauneuf. In some ways this is an advantage since it will match fairly well with most foods, particularly Italian and French. In other ways it's a disadvantage; you are far less likely to remember a Gigondas than you are to recall a good Chateauneuf.
I recently tried the 2003 Chapelle-St-Arnoux Gigondas (available at Whole Foods in Reston). It's an excellent and affordable intro to this particular blend. It recalls some of the best overtones of quality Syrah (fruitiness and body) tempered and extended by the inclusions of Grenache and Mourvèdre. I happen to be a big fan of Grenache - Tir na N'Og, an Australian Grenache, continues to be my favorite wine of the last couple of years. It's no suprise that I appreciate it's contribution to Gigondas. As a side note the Whole Foods in Reston off Wiehle Ave. has the best laid-out wine selection of any of the chain that I've visited. If you happen to be in Reston looking for a bottle of wine, I recommend heading over.
To sum up this is a varietal worth investigating. The next time you're looking for a French wine to accompany a fancy meal or creating your perfect Coq au Vin try a Gigondas and explore some of the lesser-known products of the Rhone valley.
Gigondas is a French blend created in the Rhone Valley. The Rhone is famous for Chateauneuf du Pape and Cotes du Rhone. It contains Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. It's commonly considered a "cheap" alternative to Chateauneuf, and I subscribe in this case to the common opinion. Gigondas tends to have less "character" or "terroir" than the more spicy, peppery Chateauneuf. In some ways this is an advantage since it will match fairly well with most foods, particularly Italian and French. In other ways it's a disadvantage; you are far less likely to remember a Gigondas than you are to recall a good Chateauneuf.
I recently tried the 2003 Chapelle-St-Arnoux Gigondas (available at Whole Foods in Reston). It's an excellent and affordable intro to this particular blend. It recalls some of the best overtones of quality Syrah (fruitiness and body) tempered and extended by the inclusions of Grenache and Mourvèdre. I happen to be a big fan of Grenache - Tir na N'Og, an Australian Grenache, continues to be my favorite wine of the last couple of years. It's no suprise that I appreciate it's contribution to Gigondas. As a side note the Whole Foods in Reston off Wiehle Ave. has the best laid-out wine selection of any of the chain that I've visited. If you happen to be in Reston looking for a bottle of wine, I recommend heading over.
To sum up this is a varietal worth investigating. The next time you're looking for a French wine to accompany a fancy meal or creating your perfect Coq au Vin try a Gigondas and explore some of the lesser-known products of the Rhone valley.
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