Vintages Selection: Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas 2004

With the November 24th Vintages release about a week away, it is a fine time to bring to your attention one of the great values on the way. Although the release itself is not one of the most exciting overall, the availability of Domaine Santa Duc's standard Gigondas cuvee is certainly something to look forward to. Along with Montirius, Domaine la Garrigue, and Domaine les Pallieres, Santa Duc is one of my favourite wines from the region. And I am not alone: Robert Parker and the Wine Spectator have consistently rated their wines in the 90+ range. Whether you are a fan of these reviews or not, they do highlight the consistent quality level of the wine produced at this estate.














Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas 2004 33.95 (#11601)

Having not had the pleasure of visiting Santa Duc, I cannot relate a great deal of first hand information about the producer. I have, however, been to Gigondas (both the appellation and the town), and thought I might share a little bit of information about the terroir. Gigondas is located to the northeast of Chateauneuf-du-Pape and shares a few of the same characteristics: most notably the stony soil and the lengthy exposure to the sun. But unlike the majority of vineyards in its more famous cousin, many vines in Gigondas are planted on slopes. The wines of this region are often referred to as 'rustic,' and this accurately describes the landscape as well. One need only look at the Dentelles de Montmirail that overlook many of the vineyards, to gain a grasp of how rocky the region is.














The cuvee for Santa Duc's standard bottling of Gigondas is 75% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Cinsault, which is quite standard for the appellation. One of the noteworthy aspects of this blend, however, is that the grapes are sourced from a number of different vineyards throughout the commune. The producer believes that this ensures consistency from vintage to vintage, but it also helps to provide balance in a given year as well. Five of these vineyards are based on quaternary red clay stony soils -- “Hautes Garrigues”, “Carbonnieres”, “Rocassieres”, “Santa Duc”, and “Pailleroudas” – while the “Goujard et Plane” vineyard lies on calcarous clay soil. Blending of this nature is an excellent way of expressing the terroir of the appellation, rather than just a single vineyard.















The high percentage of Grenache in the blend leads to concentrated notes of red and blue fruits that give the impression of sweetness. And like many of the best wines from the Southern Rhone, there is a distinct stoniness on the palette. More importantly, perhaps, is the fact that the tannins in this wine are not overpowering, meaning it can certainly be enjoyed in its youth. Having said that, this wine is a perfect candidate for mid-term cellaring, and will no doubt improve with five or so years of aging. At less than 35 dollars, the quality-to-price-ratio of this offering is nothing short of excellent. Drink up!

Please visit Santa Duc's website for additional information (www.santaduc.fr).