Domaine Brusset, Gigondas 2003 "Le Grand Montmirail". Very young for Gigondas but Laurent Brusset always makes quite forward wines which can go the distance. And, of course, 2003 was very hot so acidity levels are naturally lower and the fruit that bit riper so, potential over-ripeness or dumb-ness aside, I was expecting something I could drink (I haven't tasted this wine for several months so anything could have happened although Brusset's wines don't generally shut down; the 1999 did though). A good, very tasty modern-style Gigondas: lots of fruit, big and heady, unmistakeably Gigondas but tannins not too forceful so ready to drink at only three years old. made me want to dig out some of the older vintages I have lurking around here somewhere. More please.
The moratorium is over. Decanter’s December issue has been published and I can announce our successes in the recent tasting undertaken by their Rhône expert, Matt Walls who has recently returned from a year and a half in the region. If you look on Decanter.com today (November 2020), you will see a link to ‘Top Côtes du Rhône wines under £20’. What the article doesn’t tell you is that the brief of its writer was to taste and rate wines from across the valley in that price range and that the top scoring white wine was actually a Ventoux. No prizes for guessing that it was Château Juvenal’s 2019 ‘Ribes de Vallat’ Blanc , awarded 91 points, which, at £12.60 is also the best value of any of the white wines on the list: 'From 30- to 40-year-old vines grown on granite south-facing slopes; half of the wine is matured for six months in demi-muid leaving no overt oakiness to the aromatics. Full-bodied, rich and opulent style, very ripe and fulsome. Some mango and pineapple juice. Unmist
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