Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux 2022

There's a lot to love in this ethereal red, with stunning purity and allure. The perfumed nose is marked by black fruit, pepper, smoked bacon and tobacco, with smoky oolong tea in the backdrop. Concentrated yet doesn't feel weighed down, with fine, chalky tannins landing the finish, which stretches out in effortless harmony and reveals earthy tugs of tar and juniper. Its beautiful suppleness makes this approachable now, but this will also go the distance in the cellar. Drink now through 2040. 105 cases imported.

Since my tasting last year from barrel, the 2022 Gigondas Le Claux greatly benefited from the rest of the élevage, with its tannins now more refined and a wonderful sense of harmony throughout. A swirl of the glass reveals aromas of lush forest strawberry, red and black plum, cedar, rosewater and a pinch of dried herbs. This detailed and focused Le Claux stands out from the crowd, finishing with a lingering persistence.

A classic wine from this terroir, the 2022 Gigondas La Claux has a beautiful ruby/purple hue as well as textbook notes of ripe red and black fruit, graphite, camphor, and savory herbs. It's wonderfully balanced, full-bodied, has ripe, polished tannins, and a beautiful sense of elegance and purity.

Denser and fleshier than Le Poste, due to the soils composed of marl and yellow clay, the 2022 Gigondas le Claux offers up aromas of violet, pepper, peony, licorice and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it's structured with a controlled power, framed by velvety tannins and a dense, long, corpulent finish. Matured in 30% new barrels, 30% one-year-old barrels and the rest in two-year-old barrels, it's entirely crafted from Grenache Noir.