2020 E. Guigal Gigondas, Southern Rhone

The 2020 Gigondas is beautiful, with a ripe, rounded, elegant, and medium to full-bodied style. Wild strawberries, raspberries, spice, and peppery herbs all define the aromatics, and it's balanced and already impossible to resist. It will evolve for 10-15 years if well stored and is well worth seeking out.

93 points Jeb Dunnuck

Few Rhône names carry the recognition of E. Guigal, founded by Étienne Guigal in Ampuis in 1946 and now run by the third generation of the family. Although the domaine is synonymous with Côte Rôtie, its reach extends south to Gigondas, where Grenache led blends take on the warmth and generosity of the southern Rhône while retaining the firm, savoury backbone that separates good Gigondas from simpler Côtes du Rhône.

The dramatic vineyards beneath the Dentelles de Montmirail combine altitude, limestone, clay and the cooling influence of the mistral. The 2020 vintage produced ripe, generous reds, and a few years in bottle has allowed the fruit and tannins to settle beautifully. There is plenty of depth here, but also the pepper, herbs and earthy complexity that make mature southern Rhône reds so satisfying.

Deep garnet ruby, with blackberry, black cherry and baked raspberry followed by lavender, liquorice and cracked pepper. Rosemary, sage, black olive and smoked meat add a distinctly savoury dimension, with hints of leather and dried orange beginning to emerge. The palate is full bodied and generous, carrying dark plum and cherry across broad, ripe tannins. Pepper, olive and liquorice gather through the middle before a long, warming finish with plenty of earthy spice.

Slow cooked lamb shoulder with garlic, rosemary and anchovy would be magnificent, as would duck with lentils, merguez with couscous, beef cheek with olives or smoky eggplant with chickpeas and tahini. Our pick is the lamb shoulder, pulled apart at the table with a bottle of this alongside. Sunday lunch sorted.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2035.