Notify me
2018 Gigondas
Domaine du Durban
Gigondas boasts a wide range of terroirs that give birth to a surprising diversity of styles. Durban’s vineyard on the limestone upper slopes of the Dentelles de Montmirail tends toward a high-flying, pure style. Inspired by Jim Harrison’s writing on the subject in 2002, I offer this “tasting note”: a young man that is of lean build but has a certain warmness to his face and demeanor, round, jolly cheeks, a ready smile, and a slight hint of insecurity, as if what he offered wasn’t quite good enough, which of course makes it even better. I think I just described proprietor Henri Leydier, one of the pleasantest people I could ever hope to meet.
—Dixon Brooke
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2018 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah |
Appellation: | Gigondas |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Domaine de Durban |
Winemaker: | The Leydier Family |
Vineyard: | 37 years, 6 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Wine ages in large oak barrels |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
More from this Producer or Region

2019 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise
France | Southern Rhône
This lovely Muscat is full of fresh honeysuckle and ripe citrus fruit. Have an ice cream maker? This wine makes the best sorbet you’ll ever taste!

2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” MAGNUM
France | Southern Rhône
It is important to remember the heights that old-vine Grenache can reach when planted on arid, stony plateaus in the shadows of Mount Ventoux.

2021 Gigondas “Terrasse du Diable” MAGNUM
France | Southern Rhône
Violets and dark berries dominate the palate, with a pleasant wild side lurking below the surface.

2020 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
Leydiers at Domaine de Durban are particularly proud of their Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a vin doux naturel, as they are among the last to craft it in the traditional style.

2023 Gigondas
France | Southern Rhône
April Club Rouge ~ Durban does here what they do best, keeping the focus and precision of the terroir as well as loads of fruit and pleasure.

2023 Ventoux Rouge “Mégaphone”
France | Southern Rhône
Fragrant aromas of lavender and garrigue, notes of perfectly ripe black cherries, hints of black olive and stones.

2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
France | Southern Rhône
This dark, autumnal rosé is a beacon of tradition in a sea of paler styles.

2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “Poignée de Raisins”
France | Southern Rhône
Serve this one cool, from a carafe, with a plain old burger—generously seasoned with herbes de Provence.

2023 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
France | Southern Rhône
Grenache is joined by Syrah and a drop of Mourvèdre to create this delightful everyday red scented of herbes de Provence and ripe black cherry.

2023 Vacqueyras “Un Sang Blanc”
France | Southern Rhône
A relatively rare beast, Serge’s blanc is a ripe, honey-infused cornucopia of fruit.

About The Producer
Domaine de Durban
More from Southern Rhône or France
2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF-BOTTLE
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel “La Combe des Rieu”
Gaël Petit France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2023 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2021 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Papesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
Clairette de Die “Tradition”
Domaine Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé MAGNUM
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “La Crau” HALF-BOTTLE
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé HALF BOTTLE
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape “Télégramme”
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel “La Combe des Rieu”
Gaël Petit France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vin de Pays de Vaucluse Rouge “Le Pigeoulet”
Famille Brunier France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
2023 Vacqueyras “Un Sang Blanc”
Domaine Le Sang des Cailloux France | Southern Rhône
2023 Côtes-du-Rhône “L’Emouvante”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
2023 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
Domaine de Durban France | Southern Rhône
2021 Côtes-du-Rhône “La Papesse”
Domaine Gramenon France | Southern Rhône
Clairette de Die “Tradition”
Domaine Achard-Vincent France | Southern Rhône
2022 Tavel Rosé MAGNUM
Trinquevedel France | Southern Rhône
Where the newsletter started

Where the newsletter started
Every three or four months I would send my clients a cheaply made list of my inventory, but it began to dawn on me that business did not pick up afterwards. It occurred to me that my clientele might not know what Château Grillet is, either. One month in 1974 I had an especially esoteric collection of wines arriving, so I decided to put a short explanation about each wine into my price list, to try and let my clients know what to expect when they uncorked a bottle. The day after I mailed that brochure, people showed up at the shop, and that is how these little propaganda pieces for fine wine were born.—Kermit Lynch