Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux 2021 (750ML)

95-97 VM / 95 WA / 95 WS / 94 JD

Brilliant violet color. Displays pungent, mineral- and spiceaccented cherry, black raspberry, potpourri and licorice aromas, along with hints of savory herbs, vanilla and incense. Chewy and tightly focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry, dark berry and Moroccan spice flavors that unfurl slowly through the back half. It closes with firm tension, chewy tannins and excellent tenacity, leaving resonating cherry and floral notes behind. All barriques, a third of them new.—Josh Raynolds, Vinous Media

Hints of dried herbs accent raspberries and cherries on the nose of the 2021 Gigondas le Claux. All old-vine Grenache, this is a full-bodied, rich, concentrated effort, with a long, velvety finish oozing dark chocolate. It's exciting stuff, especially considering how difficult the vintage was for some growers.- Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate

Opulent and broad, with a generous cascade of ripe plum and winey cassis notes wrapped in talc-fine yet sturdy tannins. Chewy, with strappy black licorice and cast iron moving in. A seductive, concentrated Gigondas, with impressive harmony as every element hums along toward the seemingly endless finish. Outstanding. Best from 2025 through 2040. 105 cases imported.—Kristen Bieler, Wine Spectator

The 2021 Gigondas Le Claux is elegant and refined, with medium-bodied richness and depth as well as ultra-fine tannins. It has an almost Pinot Noir-like quality in its ripe red fruits, spring flowers, camphor, and forest floor aromatics, and it has good concentration as well as length on the finish. As always, this single vineyard release is all Grenache that wasn't destemmed and was brought up in demi-muids.-Jeb Dunnuck