Day 3 Southern Rhone, By Jason Busby

Just two estates but quite far apart and another two favourites of mine as well as Bancroft for over a decade.

Yves Gras of Domaine Santa Duc, Gigondas and other appellations. What can I say? Biting wind whistling down the valley when we arrived (maybe the Mistral) at the quaint homestead on the outskirts of Gigondas with Yves's new Eco friendly tasting room and office looking more like a space station next to the 18th century farm house, actually doesn't look out of place.

We arrive on time, Yves typically didn't but that's his charm and with his winning smile (not admiration in that sense) one never minds, and then the wines. A couple of 2010s in bottle in the tasting room as we are currently selling these, then to the barrel room where the converse clad winemaker leaps into the darkness coming back with a dark concentrated glass of juice he has just blended from a few barrels. Oh Gigondas from the best producer, not just my opinion. I love tasting here as it is relatively feral, but the wines so clean, pure and mature. Honest wines from an honest chap. Ten wines from several appellations was a lovely start to the day and helped the croissant digest with earnest.

Time for a coffee somewhere on route to Cairanne to meet Denis Alary, but we couldn't find anywhere annoyingly, so we arrived early. We must stop doing this otherwise our growers will start questioning. More translations required with Denis but he has a sparkle in his eye and a rugby man too, plus 10 generations of winemaking all on an impressive colourful family tree behind him to support the fact. So we chatted for a while then tasted just four wines. One of which was the 2011 Font d'Estevenas we currently stock then the 2012 along with the 2012 Jean de Verde which will be gorgeous in several months.

We finished by midday with a flight from Lyon, two hours away not leaving until 1900, so we decided to have a leisurely lunch after coffee in the old town of Gigondas. I've been to the Rhone a number of times but never Gigondas town centre, I say town, more of a village with hundreds of years of history, quaint, sleepy and another place one could retire too.

The former Yugoslav smoker popped out to find a restaurant which looked rather up market. However, to our surprise when we entered we knew the sommelier. A close Bancroft ally. A few comfortable hours talking wine, tasting some interesting local styles and a meeting booked on the way to the airport at a natural winery he knew rather well, all made the lunch worthwhile. It should have taken less than half an hour, but was rather hidden and with me as the driver we tried a little off road, snow now coming down in earnest and driving though vineyards getting progressively darker and the Scot worrying about missing the flight we eventually came across a huge new winery looking more like a German bunker than a winery. Obviously lots of investment and amphora vinification with these interesting natural wines from the winery that shall not be named as we consider them. Although we mentioned our time pressures thus only wanting two of their chosen wines, we tasted seven. It was a worthwhile visit and something a wine person needs to do whilst running the risk of missing ones flight. Kenny don't fret love!

With the supreme driving ability of the Englishman we drove through much snow and the darkness to be the last three on the plane, no panic needed.

An informative trip showing the 2012 vintage as one to take very seriously as the structure is present with balance, poise and elegance so slightly earlier drinking and I personally think better than 2009 and 2010 for my palate.

Good company, good food (dinners not lunch) and seeing growers in situ that are loyal and honest always takes away how tired one is. Lovely.

Written by Jason Busby, Director