TN: 2014 Pierre Gonon St. Joseph

WINE TALK
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The overlooked Northern Rhone vintage, and yet like 2011, perhaps one of the more vibrant and energetic vintages of note in the hands of producers like Gonon. Love the 2011 Gonon as well.

The 2014s that I have popped have all been quite aromatic. This Gonon has that in spades. Such a wonderful melange of briny oysters shells, black olives, blood orange and other brambly fruits. Searing acids, vibrant, structured and ever so fresh and tangy. Throws a lot of minerals and river stones. Mostly red fruits on the palate and dark fruit skin. The overall presence is a tart edge but enough sweet fruit to keep the palate interesting. Love this wine for what it is, but I’m guessing it’s best life is now to the next 5-7 years, then after that give the nod to the bigger, balanced vintages like 2010, 13 and 16.

(94 pts.)

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You read my note, and then wrote it better. I’ll let that go this time, in the spirit of Christmas.

I actually wonder if a “weak” vintage like 2014 will drink more interestingly down the road than a supposedly stronger vintage. Well, it’ll be fun to find out!

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Yeah, but you said it would last 30 years. That doesn’t do us any good. Alfert will be drinking our stash at our wake/shiva.

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I had two grandfathers that lived past 100, and an aunt who just turned 101. I plan to drink all of mine :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

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None of whom cared about the color of the neighbor’s house, just saying.

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They were more concerned about their villages being burned to the ground by cossacks.

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Even the pointsies and samesies!

So sad!

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Haha. We’ll be dead and immortalized at that point, Fu drinking the remainders of our “cellars”.

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You haven’t really drunk Gonon until you’ve drunk Gonon out of a horn.

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What about a camelbak?

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Thnx for the note, have not tried one yet. Maybe I need to give one a try.

Sounds really good.

Cheers Brodie

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Has anyone tried a '12 lately?

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Some may consider 2014 “weak” (not saying you do), but they may find it interesting that JLL offers praise for Saint-Joseph wines in particular in 2014:

“2014 is a very good vintage for the granite-derived reds of SAINT-JOSEPH. The gradual ripening of the year allowed free expression of the cool qualities of SYRAH off the granite, so the pedigree of these west bank soils has filtered through into the wines. They are not grandiose, but carry a winning precision and fresh length in the best examples. Indeed, really good length is a mark of the vintage, a triumphant offer of flowing fruit, in the front runners.”

And on Gonon:

"JEAN GONON , from MAUVES in the southern sector, gave me this resumé of the year: “we laughed, we cried this year. The spring was super, quite precocious, with the vines on the go by mid-March. May was fresh, dry and beau, while June was also dry. We had rain when we needed it on 3-4 July, then it rained constantly on and off until 17 August. We had some hail at the start of the fourth week of July. By mid-August there were outbreaks of rot, but luckily there was no rain from 17 August until 19 September. Those four weeks saved the situation, and dried the vineyards.” "

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I had a bottle of '12 at a restaurant in Amsterdam a couple months ago and it was delicious. Only at the early part of its drinking window, it blossomed over a couple hours in a narrow decanter through the course of the meal.

If you have a bunch, it’s not the worst idea to check in on a bottle.

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I agree with this, and this has generally been the case for me with most 2012 Northern RhĂ´nes. Had a 2012 Champet last week that was gorgeous.

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I have a lone bottle of 2011. Advice on when to drink?

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thnx!
I think I only have 3, so I will wait a while.

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OMG this wine is soaring on day two. I left about 1/3 bottle in the fridge. The palate is now full-on savory. The acids are present but a bit more tamed from yesterday. This is a really complete, gorgeous wine.

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