It seems there’s an endless string of charming villages in the Rhône Valley. One after another offers fascinating architecture, great wines, scenic vistas and cuisine ranging from the local and rustic to the heavenly and sublime.
The next stop on the trip was a visit to Domaine Palon.
Domaine Palon is located at the foot of the spectacular “Dentelles de Montmirail” approaching the gentle mid-slope at the village of Gigondas. It’s is a very small estate with only 17 acres in Gigondas and 12 in Vacqueyras. Despite its size, the property and its owners have had a large impact on winemaking in the area. Jean Palon was the co-founder of the Gigondas Cave Co-operative and a member of the governing board from 1956-1978. His son Jean-Pierre Palon was the president of the Cave Co-operative from 1978-2001. The current owner, Sebastien Palon, represents the 4th generation of winemakers in his family. Adding to the rich history of his family, in 2003 he became the first of the Palon family to bottle the wines under his family name.
Domaine Palon’s Vacqueyras is certainly a very elegant wine but it’s also a powerhouse of focus and precision. The restrained power in this balanced wine allows it to showcase its complex soil components as much as its juicy, ripe briary fruit and garrigue flavors. It’s a beautiful example of the excellent terroir in this part of the Rhône and as with all of the wines we source personally, it’s a tremendous value.
Next week, on to the Northern Rhône in hunt of Syrah.
-Larry