‘Gigondas delivers some of the best bang for my buck in cellar worthy red wines from France today.’ – Josh Raynolds, Vinous
Santa Duc’s high-altitude Grenache-based blends from the Southern Rhône are world-class, and we back them as one of the region’s best domaines. The Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux Dits 2022 is made from eight special ‘lieux dit’ sites and four different varieties – Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault, with 80% whole bunches. Black cherries and violets introduce this lively, refined red with a deep-fruited core and powerful tannins.
As for their Châteauneufs, ‘It will hurt some feelings to say an outsider is producing some of the most compelling examples of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, but keep in mind these are generally tiny-production gems and not easy to track down,’ says Joe Czerwinski of the Wine Advocate.
Check out their seriously structured Santa Duc Châteauneuf-du-Pape Habemus Papam 2022 and flawless Santa Duc Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Saintes Vierges 2022.
The average vine age is 40-75 years and all of Santa Duc’s vines and wines are organic and biodynamically certified, a process Yves Gras began back in the eighties. Yves’ tireless work put Domaine Santa Duc and Gigondas on the map after he took over in 1985. His son Benjamin took the helm in 2017, ‘pushing quality even higher’ (Vinous).
Tasting Notes:
Santa Duc Gigondas Aux Lieux Dits 2022
‘Crafted from vines planted on sandy and clay soils, the 2022 Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits reveals a lively, gourmand bouquet of flowers, violet, dark cherries and menthol. Medium to full-bodied, enrobing and energetic, it has a lively, incisive mid-palate with perfectly ripe tannins and good depth at the core. It concludes with a vertical, elegant and ethereal finish enhanced by aromas of dark berries. This stunning Gigondas is a blend of 80% Grenache Noir, 10% Mourvèdre, 5% Cinsault and 5% Syrah, made with a portion of whole bunches (80%). Keep it over the next decade. 2024-2038’ – Yohan Castaing, Wine Advocate, 93/100
‘This has interest and character – a touch of balsamic, some herbal notes, and rhubarb. Tangy raspberry acidity and good length. There’s freshness and tension, without the powerful tannins that can dominate the 2022s. Good energy here, with raspberry to finish. Aged for 18 months in Stockinger foudres and terracotta amphorae. The wine is unfined and unfiltered. 2025-2031’ – Matt Walls, Decanter, 93/100
