Rocking New Châteauneuf-du-Pape Releases from Château Gigognan
Keith with the current in-stock Gigognan lineup.
My first visit to Château Gigognan was back in 2017. Their old cellar was still in use, and the winery had just been purchased by Jean-François Henin. Their plan was to build a brand new cellar that would reflect Henin’s vision going forward. Though I liked the wines, I didn’t add them to our direct import portfolio just yet; I put this property in the “wait-and-see” category. I had some samples shipped over in 2018 and 2019 and saw some encouraging progress.
When I visited the property later in the spring of 2019, so much had changed. Giant concrete and stainless fermenters had been added in a new cellar. The winery had developed the ability to do more specific parcel and site selections, focusing on smaller lots. They had brought on Stéphane Derenoncourt, a master consulting winemaker, to help the project transition to its new winemaking style. He helped finish the 2016 vintage, doing the final blending, and it was this wine that really jumped out at me. The 2016 vintage wine was already in bottle by my visit and had been resting at least a year. It was deep, rich, filled with fruit yet maintaining an elegance that really spoke to me. That was the moment that I decided we had to have these wines for our customers. And, several hundred cases later, this wine has become one of K&L’s most successful Châteauneuf-du-Papes to date.
I was supposed to head back in 2020, but, because of the pandemic, I wasn’t able to visit again until 2022. By that visit, the new cellar was complete, and included a whole tasting bar, meeting rooms, event spaces, and a special barrel room added to the cellar. Some new vineyard parcels had been acquired and new bottlings were being made. Some vines from the old Maison Jaboulet were added from the lieu-dit of Terres Fermes. A property in Signargues was added creating a new Côtes du Rhône Villages bottling from that region. For me, it seemed like this was all happening overnight, but, of course, it had been five years of Jean-François Henin and his team advancing their cause.
Jean-François Henin in the vineyards.
I am delighted to say that new releases of some of our favorite bottlings have arrived and they are joined by a new offering as well—the new Signargues! The 2020 Château Gigognan Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Signargues $14.99 JS92 comes from the southern most of the Villages appellations. This area was originally settled and cultivated by the Romans and the name refers to Signs—the blood shed during a brutal battle fought here and Argues—a Roman city of the time. There is no wonder that this area is becoming more prominent in Côtes du Rhône production. The soil is high in iron oxide, marl, and sand giving it notes of that “sanguine” or bloody character. Though this wine is quite gentle on the palate, you can taste the minerality, perfume, and elegance it offers. This is a welcome new addition to our cast of Côtes du Rhône characters.
There are two wines coming from closer to the estate in the village of Sorgues. The estate itself sits just outside of the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the soils are identical. The 2023 Château Gigognan Viognier Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc $19.99 is a pleasing rendition of this aromatic white grape variety. From a small parcel just north of the Château, it has lovely notes of pear, jasmine, and peach. On the southside of the estate are most of the winery’s oldest vines. These are in the Côtes du Rhône Villages appellation, and, if we were talking about them pre-appellation controlée, they woudl be considered Châteauneuf. But lines were drawn, so with the 2020 Château Gigognan "Bois des Moines" Côtes-du-Rhône Villages $19.99 you get Châteauneuf quality for half the price. Lots of marl and clay lie under the galets here, and the wine has a stout blackberry fruit profile with notes of garrigue and licorice. It is supple on the palate and should drink beautifully for many years to come.
The newest vintages of the Clos du Roi have arrived as well and we have a small amount of the Blanc. A blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Roussanne, the 2022 Château Gigognan "Clos du Roi" Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc $39.99 is a delight. Brimming with stone fruit flavors of nectarine and peach, there is a toasty creaminess here that is the hallmark of great-drinking Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc.
Finally, and most excitingly, is the new vintage of the 2019 Château Gigognan "Clos du Roi" Châteauneuf-du-Pape $34.99 WE95 JS93 JD93 WS93. After seeing all the inputs at the estate go into effect, it is wonderful to see this wine finally come to market. This is in the vein of the 2019 with great density and weight but a level of finesse that keeps this slightly not-too-modern Châteauneuf in check. Deep red fruit flavors attack the palate, with notes of licorice, spice, and violets. There is a seamless texture that balances this wine. This is exciting stuff! John Livingstone-Learmoth gave the wine one of his coveted STGT (Soil to Glass Transfers), which is all about a wine showing its true terroir. He writes: “This is well tuned, authentic, STGT Châteauneuf, which has flair, life, fresh length.” What a journey this estate has been on, and what a pleasure to watch at it keeps moving forward.