Vignoble Edmond Latour 2022 Gigondas, Rhone Valley

What a pleasure to discover a well-made pedigreed southern Rhone red that doesn’t smash me in the mouth and bury me with alcohol.  Gigondas is only about a dozen miles from Chateauneuf-du-Pape, with similar grape varieties, but usually down a notch in intensity.  This example is quite a bit more civilized than some of the more brutish, assertive Chateauneufs we’ve been encountering in recent years.  With a pretty transluscent ruby color, this lovely red has an appealing aroma of fruit and a touch of woodsy bark in it.  The Grenache/Mourvedre blend is loaded with juicy fruit that continues to come forth during the middle and the end.