2023 Saint Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes Organic, Rhone Valley

The 2023 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes offers fabulous notes of black cherries, licorice, roasted garrigue, and peppery Provençal nuances. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied Gigondas offering ample mid-palate depth, sweet tannins, and a great finish.

94-96 points jebdunnuck.com

Saint Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes is a powerful, deeply expressive Southern Rhône red made from old vines that deliver incredible concentration and terroir-driven character. Based in the heart of Gigondas, Domaine Saint Damien has become a benchmark producer under the direction of Joël Saurel and his son Romain, known for crafting structured yet beautifully balanced wines with a strong sense of place.

The Vieilles Vignes cuvée is sourced from vines averaging over 70 years of age, primarily Grenache with a touch of Mourvèdre and sometimes Syrah, planted on the rocky terraces and red clay-limestone soils of Gigondas. These old vines naturally produce lower yields, giving fruit with exceptional intensity and complexity.

Vinification is traditional, with whole bunches often used depending on the vintage, long maceration to extract depth and fine tannin, and ageing in large old foudres. There’s no new oak, just the pure voice of the vineyard and variety speaking through the wine.

In the glass, it opens with aromas of black raspberry, dried herbs, licorice, violets and crushed stone. The palate is dense and layered, with ripe red and black fruits, earthy garrigue, spice and firm, well-integrated tannins. It is full-bodied yet elegant, with the natural freshness that Gigondas’ high elevation vineyards can bring.

Serve with slow-cooked lamb shoulder, duck confit, or a wild mushroom and lentil stew. While approachable now with decanting, this wine is built to age gracefully for 10 to 15 years, gaining savoury depth and complexity over time.