About the Wine

“Opening a great bottle of wine is the beginning of a wonderful moment. An exciting conversation, a story being told, hearty, belly laughs, and philosophies shared. An intimate dinner, sharing secrets and memories, making promises and plans, re-living moments of nostalgia. ~Guillaume and Kelly Gonnet. 

According to local archives, the Gonnet family has been settled in Bédarrides since 1600. Etienne Gonnet and Jeanne Brunnier married and created Font de Michelle in 1950. Today the Domaine is managed by the grandchild of Etienne, Guillaume Gonnet (3rd generation). 

Guillaume is a visionary and hungry winemaker, who decided to explore some of the world's most important terroirs like Bordeaux, Burgundy, Napa, New Zealand, and Australia before he took over the family’s vineyard in Châteauneuf du Pape. During his travels, he did not only gain winemaking expertise but also brought the best experience of all, meeting his business partner and future wife, Kelly.

Guillaume Gonnet Winery was created by a couple of connoisseurs. Their main goal is to “Explore the potential of Southern Rhône grape varieties in various terroirs in the South of France and around the world”.

They produce their wines with grapes comming from some of the most sought-after regions of the southern Rhône like Côtes du Rhône, Lirac, Cairanne, Tavel and Châteauneuf du Pape. This couple is completely passionate about the terroir, and that passion is reflected in their work philosophy, producing wines with minimal intervention, biodynamic agriculture, and with very little influence of the wood, resulting in expressive and vibrant wines.

2017 was a good year for Southern Rhone. Robert Parker's Wine Advocate blessed this year with a 94-point review. And Vinous Media said, "Most of the wines in 2017 are generous and forward. They will provide plenty of pleasure over a shorter aging curve than normal."

Aging: 100% in old demi muids (600L)

Tasting Notes: Grenache 70%, Syrah 20%, Mouvèdre 8%, Counoise 2%. A bouquet of ripe fruits, morello cherries, blackcurrants, blackberries, licorice, bay leaves, thyme and rosemary, oriental spices, and hints of dark chocolate. This wine will evolve beautifully in the glass. A fine wine with great aging potential. Pair this wine with Slow roasted, French-trimmed rack of lamb. Hard, aged cheeses such as Comté or Beaufort.

Reviews

Shimmering magenta. Potent Chambord, cherry compote, and floral aromas are complicated by a suave Asian spice nuance. Seamless focused, and alluringly sweet, offering lush red fruit preserve and floral pastille flavors and an exotic suggestion of five-spice powder. Finishes sappy, sweet, and long, with harmonious tannins and resonating floral and spice notes. ~93-94 Vinous Media.

Ripe and juicy, this pushes a wave of raspberry and plum purée flavors to the fore, while red licorice, sweet tobacco and singed juniper hints peek through before blooming on the finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Counoise. Best from 2022 through 2035. 400 cases made, 250 cases imported.  ~93 Points, Wine Spectator.

A blend of old-vine Grenache (85-100 years old) and Mourvèdre (50 years old), the 2017 Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Maryline matured in a two-year-old foudre. It's refreshingly floral and red-fruited, with cherry and raspberry notes accented by hints of orange zest. Full-bodied and silky but concentrated, it should drink well for at least a decade. ~92 Points, Robert Parker. 

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