TN: 2007 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph (France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph)

WINE TALK
#1
  • 2007 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph - France, Rhône, Northern Rhône, St. Joseph (10/30/2021)
    One bottle in the cellar, and I decided tonight was the night. Honestly I was underwhelmed. Initially still rather grapey, it got more interesting at about the ninety minute mark, but never displayed a depth of flavor to account for the inflated reputation (and price). It certainly had the expected roasted, rare meat and tapenade notes, but never an extra gear. Maybe the expectations were ahead of the wine, but I wouldn’t ever spend more than $40 for a bottle like this.

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#2

Hmmm… root or leaf day?

#3

6 hour drive in the rain day.

#4

That’ll do it!

#5

I just love “I was underwhelmed” Gonon tasting notes! Keep them coming please.

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#6

I, too, was underwhelmed by a bottle two years ago. I wrote: “Slightly sour, some reduction, a bit thin,” and gave it 86. Meh.

A friend has served several bottles of Gonon’s 2007 “Les Iles Feray” IGP Ardeche and those were a bit tired – definitely past their prime.

#7

I was never that i pressed with the regular 2007. The VV, otoh, is spectacular.

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#8

Yup!

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#9

Back then you wouldn’t have spent more than $40. All good.

#10

And only $60 for the VV!

#11

This note more or less mirrors my overall experience with Gonon. There was a time I used to buy some almost every year, but it was quite a while back, and prices were still very reasonable. Good wines, generally speaking, but the hype and the skyrocketing prices over the last ten or so years have left me a bit perplexed. Still have some in the cellar, can’t say I’m particularly impressed with the way they have evolved. OK, but for the most part no more than that. On the whole, I’ve also consistently found the white Oliviers more interesting than the reds.

#12

That’s what I paid for the 2007 VV. It has been amazing from the get go. The 2006 is better IMO.

#13

The 2014 was still $39.99/btl at Chambers Street in NYC upon release. The ‘15 vintage is the vintage where the pricing doubled in the USA.

#14

Totally agree. I popped the 06 VV for Fu about 2 years ago, it’s a ringer. One of the better young Rhône’s that I have had. And one that you just knew you popped five years too early. Now it is true unicorn. I cannot even get more recent releases.

David have you had any other Gonon with this much age on them? I have not, only the VVs. All others that I have popped are ten years and under. Curious given Cernos’ thoughts above, since I have well over 100 bottles of this stuff from 2009 through 2019 vintages. I would be surprised if vintages like 10, 13, 16, etc., evolve quite well for 20+ but who really knows. And if they do not, they really are outstanding in their youth, well, 2015 and 2018 had a lot of baby fat, but that should wear off a bit.

#15

Just to add a caveat, I was referring to the other bottlings, not the VV, which, at least at the time, was not really available in my part of Europe (the Benelux). I was under the impression it was some sort of special bottling for the US market. Plus, I stopped buying at some point, so I’m talking about pre-2011. While I’m no longer really following, the few bottles I have had since (mostly the Iles Feray and St Joseph) seemed to me pretty much in the same style as before.

#16

I have not had really any other aged Gonon. I have been holding a few bottles of the regular bottling, too see if they turned into something I really liked. I sold some a while back, as I disliked the overt grapiness they showed on release. I will go “rule of 15” on my ‘09-‘11 bottles and see if anything changes.

#17

‘11 out of 1.5L was great this Summer. I will not open ‘11 1.5L again for a couple more years.

#18

i have always thought the st joe les oliviers was a far more interesting wine than its red counterpart. well made syrah is in relative abundance but a magical white rhone is a true rarity. oddly enough the market tends to ingore the blanc.

#19

I ignore it because I generally don’t care for Rhône whites. Had it once or twice several years ago, and that was enough.