E. Guigal
1998 Gigondas

This is the wine to drink first as a warm up to the Jaboulet. With 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre this blend is a bit lighter in body than the Northern Rhones but just as fun to power down. The crimson red color has a consistent nice lightness to it and is very clean and clear of any flaws. Aromas that first come on the scene are burnt cherries and then followed up by some spicy clove.
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I start to get a little antsy, and a bit sweaty and then naughty and nasty thoughts of Syrah fill my head.

It usually happens around 10 o’clock at night, when I’m starting to relax after a long day. I know something is going to fill my glass in a minute, but what is it going to be? I start to get a little antsy, and a bit sweaty and then naughty and nasty thoughts of Syrah fill my head. Yep, I need to pop a cork on something and I think it should go by the name of Crozes-Hermitage. Oh, that feels better, and now another, and now a little more. When I’m feelin’ that Rhoney, it takes about three bottles to get me over it. Of course it could happen to me again tomorrow night, but I’ll be ready.

I like to start with my Gigondas from the Southern Rhone, and then work my way up to the Northern Rhone with its full-blown Syrah’s. Tonight I choose Crozes-Hermitage from the North. I started with a 1998 E. Guigal Gigondas, then moved onto a smooth 1999 Paul Jaboulet Aine “Les Jalets” Crozes-Hermitage, then got my corkscrew into a bottle of 1998 Paul Jaboulet Aine “Domaine de Thalabert” Crozes-Hermitage.
This was a pretty good selection and not that expensive. Here is some info on two out of the three.
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