Domaine de Font Sane Gigondas, 1998

Oh yeah! This is Gigondas the way I like it. I've been sampling the 1998 Font-Sane for the last two or three years, and this is the first bottle that is really ready to drink. The crimson color has turned slightly, and the bouquet has come together beautifully--dark peppery, licorice tones countered nicely by the spicy, uplifting qualities of Provencal herbs. The black peppercorn provides excitement in this wine. It's not just a simple dash of pepper but a quality that reverberates, weaving its way in and out of the spicy fruit flavors. Beautifully ripe on the finish. The Gigondas power has given way to Gigondas beauty. This will be wonderful drinking over the next five years or so.