Grandioser Gigondas

Gigondas Les Souteyrades 2022

Domaine Saint-Damien

Rhône, Frankreich

Wine Advocate 10/2024 (Yves Castaing)

93/100

Wine Advocate 5/2024 (Joe Czerwinski)

95-97/100

Roughly 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvèdre from a clay-rich, north-facing site, the 2022 Gigondas les Souteyrades doesn't seem to have suffered from the heat of the vintage. Fresh red raspberries weave through its intriguing aromas, which include hints of garrigue and dried spices. In the mouth, it's full-bodied and concentrated yet silky and elegant on the lingering finish.

This fine estate, located on the flatter, lower-lying portion of the appellation, benefits from the Saurel family's meticulous farming and old vines. Romain Saurel, is now (fully?) in charge, but his parents are never far off. Most of the wines mature in foudres, with some lots going into concrete, and only the Clovis Saurel luxury cuvée going into demi-muids. From the 2022 vintage, I tasted a small cuvée of pure Clairette, which has the potential to be bottled as a Gigondas Blanc in future vintages. Barrel fermented in Chassin, it's one to watch going forward.

In 2021, roughly half the usual crop was produced, because of significant frost damage; there is no La Louisiane or Les Souteyrades that year. "During the harvest and just after, I wasn't too happy, but now I'm okay," said Saurel. "There are some plots that are very good, so I prefer to make a blend. If the wines continue to develop like this, I'll be very happy."

Thankfully, the drought of 2022 had minimal effect on the domaine's vines. "Here in the south of the appellation, we have plenty of water, so we don't have big problems with hydric stress," said Saurel. He singled out Les Souteyrades as faring particularly well. "It's the perfect plot for a hot year—it's got a lot of water in the soil. A year the Mourvèdre got very ripe."

Drink: 2024 - 2040