"... some of the most brilliant wines in France that virtually no one ever hears about!" - John Gilman, View From the Cellar
If dramatic scenery determined a wine region's fame, everyone would know about the Côtes de Roussillon. This landscape in the foothills of the Pyrenees is some of the most visually striking and inspiring in the wine world, and this rugged, wild character comes through in the region's best examples, namely the wines of Domaine Gauby. This family-run domaine is the reference-point for pinnacle expressions of the clay/limestone and schist soils and extremely old vines, and their wines play in the same league as top examples from the more famous appellations in the Rhône.
The 93-point 2022 Calcinaires Rouge is a prime introduction the sheer excellence and dynamic style that are the hallmarks of the domaine. A blend of Syrah, Grenache, and Carignan (this from almost 100-year-old vines), it's "a gorgeous, immediately charming expression that showcases this forgotten part of France in beautiful relief." From both granite and limestone soils, the signatures of both are readily apparent, and the utterly captivating, expressive fruit profile pops with real charm and intensity.
The 2020 Vieilles Vignes Rouge is a step in the opposite stylistic direction, defined by intense, structured minerality and dark undertones. Made mostly of Carignan from 120-year-old vines, "this is a dark, brooding, feral wine with an untamed edge that just screams of (or from) the wilderness," as B-21 buyer Andrew Kitz describes it. The ultra-firm yet refined texture is a perfect foundation for its immense concentration and primary, tightly wound core. You'll eventually get the gist of what the VV is about with time and air, but this is a must-have for the cellar that will perform like a champ in the cellar.
Finally, the 2019 La Muntada is the domaine's tête de cuvée, a selection of the very finest barrels in the cellar blended for their apex expression of the Gauby style. View From the Cellar's John Gilman declares, "This is a truly stunning young wine that is as good as anything being made in Châteauneuf du Pape these days, and maybe better." Incredibly concentrated and structured, the 2019 is indeed surprisingly young still, with undeniable cellar potential indicated by profound primary complexity. As Andrew observes, "This will be a phenomenal wine for the next 20 years."
Any way you look at it, this is a trio of benchmark beauties that offer avid wine adventurers and collectors a taste of the very best of one of France's most singular appellations.
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