WTN: 2019 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas

[David M. Bueker]

2019 Domaine du Cayron Gigondas - France, Rhône, Southern Rhône, Gigondas (11/6/2022)
Coming back to this wine after an 18 vintage break. My last purchase was the wild, and wildly variable 2000, which caused me to walk away. Hearing good things, and missing the Southern Rhône, I grabbed several bottles of the 2019. Tasted over 24 hours this was sleeker and more polished than the 1996-2000 wines that I was used to, but also still clearly typical of the appellation. Cherries, herbs, leather and dusty earth felt familiar. There wasn’t much brett/funk, but that probably was a good thing. Just a touch hot on the finish at first (thank you climate change), but that disappeared with air. Still a solid value for under $30, and I am more than tempted to try a few more vintages.

That matches my recollection of older Cayron too, but I find that I have 3 bb of 1999 in the cellar so you have inspired me to haul one out for the weekly steak!

[David M. Bueker]

I still have a solo bottle of the 1998. Probably open that over the next few months.

[David M. Bueker]

Another bottle of the 2019 tonight, and it’s lovely.

Years ago, I used to have lunch with Kermit Lynch, annually, at Chez Panisse. Each of us would bring a wine or two to share. One year, having had the '89 Cayron, and loving it, I brought a bottle of the 1990 Zinfandel from Brandlin Ranch on Mt. Veeder that I'd made, and discovered, as it settled down in bottle, that it tasted (to me) shockingly similar to the '89 Cayron. When I arrived at the restaurant carrying that bottle, Kermit, looking confused, said "where's the Mourvedre?" I simply replied: "I can't wait to hear what you think of this. I think we ordered something white, or pink, to sip while we waited for the two reds to air out a bit; then, having the two reds, side by side, we tasted. Kermit want back and forth between the two, and just said "wow; these are both... really good!"

[David M. Bueker]

Wish I could have been there.