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A New Arrival from Gigondas
A New Arrival from Gigondas
by Jane Augustine by Jane Augustine
2022 Gigondas
2022 Gigondas
Henri Leydier and his son Gaëtan
Domaine de Durban France | Gigondas
Throw a rock (or a riverbed stone) in the southern Rhône and chances are you’ll land on a bottle whose contents, for the price, wouldn’t hold a candle to Henri Leydier’s Gigondas from Domaine de Durban. Bottled in small quantities, it is ounce for ounce one of the best bargains in our book, and perhaps the entire region.
Squarely cut and sturdily built, Henri is a third-generation winegrower who inherited the hefty hands of someone destined for arduous vineyard and cellar work. A glass of wine in his grasp looks fragile, almost miniature. But like Henri, his Gigondas—densely concentrated and deeply opaque—is more refined than meets the eye. Grenache and a generous dose of Syrah are entirely de-stemmed, and never come in contact with oak during fermentation or ageing. The resulting wine is distinctly smoky and sculpted, with structured tannins, and a whiff of wild violet. It’s a striking wine whose Syrah qualities really shine.
Last time I visited the estate with colleagues to taste with Henri, he served up heaping plates of black olive tapenade, slabs of chunky pâté, and perhaps the most versatile dish around—anchovy pizza! With an easy, gap-toothed smile and gentle gaze, Henri poured one vintage after another of cool Gigondas from his chilly stone cellar. He left us feeling charmed and welcome, and so did his wine.
Henri Leydier and his son Gaëtan
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2022 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 70% Grenache, 30% Syrah |
Appellation: | Gigondas |
Country: | France |
Producer: | Domaine de Durban |
Winemaker: | The Leydier Family |
Vineyard: | Planted in 1974, 6 ha |
Soil: | Clay, Limestone |
Aging: | Aged in concrete tanks |
Farming: | Lutte Raisonnée |
Alcohol: | 15% |
More from this Producer or Region
2022 Beaumes-de-Venise Rouge
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April Club Gourmand ~ Grenache is joined by Syrah and a drop of Mourvèdre to create this delightful everyday red scented with herbes de Provence and ripe black cherry.
2020 Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise HALF BOTTLE
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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.
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Grenache is joined by Syrah and a drop of Mourvèdre to create this delightful everyday red scented with herbes de Provence and ripe black cherry.
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About The Producer
Domaine de Durban
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Kermit once said...
Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171