2023 Domaine Font de Notre Dame Gigondas 'Le Mas'

On the nose, there’s prominent black cherry and dark berry fruit framed by Provençal garrigue herbs, peppery spice, and subtle mineral tones. Underneath, notes of plum skin and a touch of leather emerge with gentle swirling, giving complexity without heaviness. The palate is medium-full and structured: ripe fruit is held in check by firm yet fine-grained tannins and balanced acidity. Flavors of blackberry, dark plum, crushed herbs, and a hint of dry spice thread through to a finish that is persistent but not overextended.

Domaine La Font de Notre Dame is a family-run estate in the Southern Rhône, rooted at the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail near the village of Gigondas. The Roux family has managed the vineyards for generations, and today they are tended by brothers Frédéric and Boris Roux, who took over from their father in 2016. The estate’s holdings extend over roughly 30 hectares across several appellations, including Gigondas, Rasteau, Lirac, Côtes-du-Rhône Villages Sablet, and basic Côtes-du-Rhône, reflecting a broad engagement with southern Rhône terroirs and styles. The winery emphasizes traditional vineyard work and vinification, seeking to express local soils and the foothills’ cooler nights at modest altitudes, which help maintain freshness in warm vintages.