Domaine La Font de Notre Dame Gigondas

Like all good stories, that of Boutinot France is both long and a little bit complicated! Boutinot began as a tiny importer in 1980, specialising in French wines. Paul Boutinot himself began by personally selecting the wines from France, back in the UK he would unload the trailer by hand. And deliver the crates of wines to customers himself. But good things grow and by the end of the decade, Boutinot had become a bigger and better company. A company that not only sought out great wines but made them too. After 10 years later, Boutinot France started in January 1990. The first office was in the middle of the vines in Julienas; perfectly located to navigate the Beaujolais and Macon regions on the quest to make beautiful wines.
Samantha Bailey, who started as a wine enthusiast, was there at the beginning of this adventure. Since then, she has grown into Boutinot's Master Blender and has key responsibilities: building long-standing relationships, tasting, understanding the terroir and appellations, and pushing the boundaries. She is at the heart of the whole process from blending to quality assessment, making sure there is always a Boutinot touch in every cuvee. Boutinot are proud to also count Guillaume Letang and Julien Dugas in their winemaking team. Guillaume oversees the South of France and Languedoc, whilst Julien looks after their property in Cairanne. Together they have the local knowledge to select and blend the very best wines from throughout. Eric Monnin oversees every aspect of production and makes sure everything our winemakers blend and source is top quality.

Today, Boutinot’s French office has recently relocated to Macon, and has over 20 employees who take care of production across the whole of France, covering fresh whites and roses from Gascony, mineral wines from Burgundy, and joyful varietal wines from Languedoc among others. Boutinot don’t use any single model to source their wines; instead, a combination of sources are used, from large-scale, high-quality co-ops to small, family growers and single domaines, as well as our own vineyards in Cairanne and Saint-Verand. Drawing on the expertise of their four winemakers and a network of partner growers, Boutinot seek to deliver the highest quality-to-price ratio possible for every wine.

Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre

Based at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail, Domaine Font de Notre Dame is run by two brothers, Frederic and Boris Roux. They produce only red wines from their 30 hectares of vineyards, which are spread over five southern Rhone appellations: Cotes du Rhone, Cotes du Rhone-Villages Sablet, the cru of Lirac and Rasteau and 7ha in Gigondas where they both live. One of the higher southern Rhone appellations (along with Vaqcueras and Beaumes de Venise) Gigondas was, in 1971, the first Cotes du Rhone Villages appellation to be awarded Cru status. Its vineyards rise from the Ouveze river to the west, the Trignan to the north and up the rocky ridges of the Dentelles de Montmirail (to the East and South) to an altitude of 500m. Soils vary greatly but can be broadly grouped as limestone scree over marl (as in the Roux’s vineyards), various sandstones and clays on the mid-slopes and gravel stones and alluvial silt towards the river-bank. The stonier topsoils allow easy run off for rainwater to be retained in the red clay subsoils which nourish the vines in the drier months. Most vineyards are bathed in morning sun; sheltered by the Dentelles and with a mainly northerly aspect. Grapes mature more slowly and the harvest is later than other appellations; the extra time being highly suited Gigondas’ dominant variety of Grenache Noir.

80% Grenache, 10% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre

Font de Notre Dame’s Gigondas is a blend of Grenache (of course) with a small proportion of aromatic Syrah and Mourvedre fermented in traditional 20hl concrete vats (the winery houses 8 in total). The wine is matured for 12 months in French oak before release in the regulation appellation bottle, embossed with a coat of arms featuring the 15th century hunting horn of the family of Orange (past patrons of Gigondas) and an olive branch marking the return of plots, planted after phylloxera with olive groves, to vineyards once more.

On the lower reaches of the rocky limestone Dentelles du Montmirail, the higher and cooler vineyards of Gigondas can produce reds which add a welcome mineral structure to generous southern Rhône Grenache. Domaine la Font de Notre Dame’s Gigondas, made by Frédéric and Boris - the ‘Roux brothers of wine’ - is a wonderful example of why this Cru, sanctioned in 1971, is so highly regarded.

Garrigue aromas with a slight mint note on the nose. Silky and balanced, with good fruit character and ripe tannins. 2019 is considered as one of Gigondas’ finest vintages.

Venison casserole, roasted duck leg and a selection of root vegetables would pair well, with ratatouille or pan fried wild mushrooms ideal meat free options.