Our exhaustive (and ongoing) tastings of the red wines of the Southern Rhône have produced two immutable truths: (1) Châteauneuf-du-Pape may still command the highest prices and enjoy the greatest name recognition, but the wines of Gigondas deliver the same level of quality and intrigue at lower prices; (2) our favorite Southern Rhône reds, regardless of appellation, are dominated by Grenache. So much of what we taste from the Southern Rhône is ink-black, syrupy, and undoubtedly “showy,” which stands in stark contrast to the silky, succulent, slightly wild slice of the Mediterranean in front of you here. Driven by 70% Grenache from old vines at high altitudes, this is the kind of Southern Rhône red we want in our glasses—it’s fresh, it’s balanced, it’s spot-on, and it’s affordable!

In addition to working at his family’s estate, Paillère and Pied-Gû, Bertrand Stehelin has also been producing and bottling wine under his own label since 2004. He farms just three hectares in Gigondas and 1.3 hectares in Sablet. His vines in Gigondas are planted between 100 and 300 meters above sea level and are all in the range of 70-90 years old.

The first glass of this ’17 overflows with chewy, meaty red and black fruit, rustic but perfectly integrated tannins, and a warm gust of wild herbs and dried flowers. It’s a perfect snapshot of the Gigondas terroir, and a deeply satisfying expression of the Southern Rhône. Decant it for 30 minutes and serve in large Bordeaux stems alongside a slow-roasted pork shoulder. Slowly savoring this wine alongside this kind of spread is like vacationing in Southern France for a few hours. Enjoy!