Recommendation: Two OUTSTANDING Gigondas that are PERFECT with strong beef flavors.
Winery/Producer: Joel Saurel; Domaine Saint-Damien; Vaucluse, France
Grape Variety: Blend: 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre
Geographic Region, Appellation: Gigondas, Southern Rhone, France.
Vintage: 2010 and 2011
Price: $30.60 each (with a 10% discount)
Purchased From: The Caviste Wine Shop; Winston-Salem, North carolina
Paired With: Beef stew with winter root vegetables.
Tasting:
He said: Saint-Damien 2011: Opened 60 minutes before drinking. Dark ruby color. Dark fruit aromas. VERY smooth mouth feel, dark ripe fruit that finishes into a velvety fruit taste and about the smoothest tannins I have ever tasted. Absolutely delicious with the stew. Smooth as silk and rich in flavors.Saint-Damien Les Sauteyrades 2010: Opened 60-minutes before drinking. Dark, almost opaque garnet color. Very strong rich raspberry and dark fruit aromas with a touch of floral. Strong, dry, blueberry and blackberry taste that go on and on into VERY complex dark fruit flavors. It was superb with the beef stew flavors. The dry, dusty flavors, spice and mineral in this wine are MEMORABLE (this is my most notable term). This is really an exciting wine and with the heavy beef flavors in the stew it’s OUTSTANDING in bold cap’s.
She said: Both wines paired well with the dinner but of course I had a favorite. The very first look at the wines revealed a difference; the 2010 was much darker than the 2011 and, therefore I expected more from it. The first taste favored the 2011 because it was smoother. As time went on I noticed that the taste of the carrots influenced the taste of the wines so I avoided them before sipping. By the end of the dinner I found that the 2010 had mellowed and revealed nuances of flavor that the 2011 lacked. Both wines were delicious with the dinner but the 2010 was best for its flavor, dryness, complexity and long tasty finish
Comments: See also our tasting with Domaine Grand Romane Gigondas 2006.
Alcohol: Both 15%
Bar code: NA
Imported by: Weygandt – Metzler; Unionville, Pennsylvania