Vigneron Jean-Baptiste Meunier has long been one of my favorite producers to visit. His energy is infectious—he’s constantly climbing up and down ladders to draw samples from tanks and barrels, eager to share each stage of his work. During my recent visit, I tasted through the 2022s and 2023s, along with several library vintages, and was once again struck by how precisely these wines capture the essence of Gigondas’ terroir. These are mountain-grown vines, surrounded by forests, thriving within a shared ecosystem that you can taste in the glass. The new Tradition bottling channels that landscape beautifully, with elegant notes of garrigue and wild herbs. On the palate, it shows classic Grenache character—strawberry compote, leafy tobacco, and a touch of spice. The acidity and tannins are perfectly integrated in the 2022 vintage, delivering everything you could want from a soulful, authentic Gigondas.

The "Tradition" truly captures the elegance and forward fruit of the 2022 vintage. It's an immediate and charming blend offering bright aromas of spiced, baked red fruits and a juicy, delicious palate. Nothing not to like about this ready-to-go Gigondas.

The Gardette wines are so freaking delicious and the new 2022s, now in stock, blew my socks off. The Cuvee Tradition is my favorite, but that's not a qualitative statement. The Cuvee Ventabren, a different blend, is also fantastic. It's just a personal preference. I find the Tradition, a classic combination of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre, to have deep and alluring aromatics and a burst of fruit on the finish that pleases me greatly. Gigondas is such spectacular terroir, rivaling Chateauneuf-du-Pape, according to my taste buds. Hillside vineyards, old vines, wild yeast, and 1 year in a cask produce floral, jammy, concentrated wine bursting with violets, red licorice, dusted red berries, and herbs that is rich and soft of the palate. I paired this with some yummerz pasta, but the wine was the main event!