Domaine de Font-Sane Gigondas, 1998

At 11 years of age, this Gigondas is mature and drinking nicely. The color is deep and dark but with some bricking around the edges. Aromas are a bit reduced at first, but they open up nicely with some air--dark berries, bulb flowers, cured meats and a hint of black pepper. The wine smells a bit tannic, but the flavors are ripe and engaging. This is a full bodied wine with the typical Gigondas power and beauty. Syrah and Mourvedre seem to be more dominant than Grenache at this stage.

Aging of Gigondas is sometimes a bit tricky. Only a few wines from this appellation (such as Cayron) are truly long-term agers, but most require a bit of time in the bottle (8 to 10 years) for the tannins to soften. As a result, it's sometimes difficult to pick the best time for drinking. If you get the timing right, you are rewarded with a wine of both power and charm. But if I were on my death bed and had to choose a Font-Sane wine for current drinking, I would probably go for a recent vintage of the Cotes du Ventoux--a wine that sells for less than half the price of the Gigondas.