It offers a ripe, sexy, exotic, medium-bodied style to go with lots of peach, plums, and flowery, peppery incense aromas and flavors. Seamless on the palate, with fine tannins, it has plenty of upfront appeal yet will also keep nicely for 7-8 years. - Jeb Dunnuck
Made from seven different picks between the two varietals. Each piece being fermented separately and then blended after eight months. Fermented in 67% concrete and 33% stainless steel, with 17% whole cluster. The wine was then aged in 20% new French oak 500Ls for 20 months. This was bottled unfined and unfiltered.
Inspired by the Vaucluse department in the south of France, this Rhone blend is harvested from the fertile soils of our estate vineyard near Royal City in the Columbia Valley. Our Vaucluse is a reflection of the finest wines of the namesake region, located due east of France’s Gard department. Within the Vaucluse lies Mondragon, a small village bearing the surname of our esteemed vineyard manager, Isidro Mondragon.
Specs
Vintage: 2016
Varietal Composition: 67% Syrah, 33% Grenache
Appellation: Columbia Valley
Vineyard: Lawrence Vineyards
Alcohol: 14.7%
pH: 3.8
Production: 270 cases
2016 The Don, Columbia Valley
Tasting Notes
90 pts - Wine Spectator
Ripe muddled red berries with black tea and spice and a whiff of tapenade and steeped plums. Swirling brings heavy black fruits like black currants, blackberry, plum puree and cassis. Herbs and spice weave through the round and polished palate with silky tannins and a juicy finish. A perfect every day wine.
Sourced from Lawrence’s Scarline Vineyard, Solaksen Vineyard, Laura Lee Vineyard and Corfu Crossing Vineyard. Fermented in a combination of concrete and stainless steel and aged in 225L barrels until blending in the early summer. After blending, half of the volume goes back to 225L barrels and the other half went into a 70HL round for volume storage and aged an additional year before bottling. Barrel notes are calmed down and primary fruit is increased on the portion in the large cooperage.
Don Isidro, pronounced ee-SEE-droh, is named for our vineyard manager, Isidro Mondragon, and has been in production since 2007 as a one-of-a-kind Gård favorite.
Winery: Gård Vintners
Owners: Josh & Lisa Lawrence
Founded: 2006
Location: Royal City, WA
Gård, meaning “farm” is a tribute to our family’s Scandinavian heritage and farming tradition.
Our mission at Gård is to capture and bottle the unique characteristics of the land we farm. We humbly craft value-driven, award-winning wines from our sustainable estate vineyards to create lasting memories for our customers. We produce 6,000 cases a year for our wine club, three tasting rooms and select distribution in the northwest and across the country.
Founded in 2006, Gård Vintners is a family-owned and operated estate winery in the heart of Washington’s Columbia Valley AVA, with vineyards on the Royal Slope, wine production in Walla Walla, and tasting rooms in Woodinville, Walla Walla, and Ellensburg.
The winery was founded by Josh and Lisa Lawrence, along with Josh’s dad, John Lawrence and Uncle Sandy Lawrence, who had farmed the Royal Slope for more than 40 years. The winery and estate vineyard is now owned and operated by Josh and his wife, Lisa, who oversees sales and marketing, while Josh oversees the vineyard and other farm and orchard operations.
In 2011, Aryn Morell joined the team as winemaker, and winemaking is now managed at M&L Production in Walla Walla, a partnership between Morell and the Lawrences.
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WI
I was one of the lucky ones for this, and received the bottle of the 2016 GARD 'The Don’
the day before it went on sale so I was able to give it a fair appraisal.
The meal I paired this with was a beef stroganoff with a creamy mushroom sauce.
The bottle has a nice proper foil cap and traditional cork.
The liquid inside is a very dark dark ruby color, and I can only really see through the edges when in sunlight.
The scent is bright and fruity. Initial impression is that this could be a crowd pleaser, and it hasn’t really even had a chance to age yet aside from its time in the barrels.
Sipping it without giving it time to decant, it seems remarkably drinkable. Just as with the nose, it is very fruity but does have a fair amount of acidity and a distinct tart aftertaste, almost citrusy.
The tannins are barely noticeable, and if I had to describe the mouthfeel I would say soft-bodied, almost more like a pinot than a primarily Cabernet blend.
There is not much complexity at this point, but it is quite a nice flavor and complimented the creaminess of the stroganoff very well.
I’m glad I didn’t pair it with a steak as I don’t think this has the tannins or body to hold up. Maybe it will open up in time?
I enjoyed my first glass of it, however I did find my mouth feeling a bit puckered from the acidity after I finished.
I poured another glass after a couple hours, and noticed surprisingly little change. Either this needs substantially more time to open, or it is just a very straight-forward wine. I’ll give it a try tomorrow and report back.
From Vinous, 89 points. Bright ruby-red. Aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, red licorice, tobacco leaf and more peppery pyrazines, plus a touch of Syrah reduction. Juicy but much less generous than the varietal Merlot and Cabernet Franc bottlings, showing firm acidity and hints of baking spices and herbs to its slightly clenched black- and redcurrant and licorice flavors. Can’t match the Merlot or Cabernet Franc for texture or depth but finishes with lingering violet perfume and the subtle sweetness to counter its greenness. Half of this blend was aged in a 70-hectoliter round. (this is the first time this bottling has been Cab-heavy)
Wine Spectator 90 points. Precise and well-built, with medium-bodied cherry, black tea and dusty herb flavors that build toward refined tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2027. 1,400 cases made. — TF
2016 Vaucluse:
Jeb Dunnuck, 91 points.A blend of 67% Syrah and 33% Grenache, all from the Lawrence Vineyard in the Columbia Valley, the 2016 Red Wine Vaucluse was aged 20 months in 20% new French oak. It offers a ripe, sexy, exotic, medium-bodied style to go with lots of peach, plums, and flowery, peppery incense aromas and flavors. Seamless on the palate, with fine tannins, it has plenty of upfront appeal yet will also keep nicely for 7-8 years.
Wine Advocate, 90 points. Medium ruby in color, the 2016 Vaucluse Lawrence Vineyards is a blend of Grenache and Syrah with a nose of spiced cherry, soft potpourri, red tea spices and a red floral essence spun with delicate black pepper tones. Medium to full-bodied, the wine becomes even spicier on the palate, showcasing soft and dusty red plum, black raspberry and spiced cherry on the long, lingering finish with hints of baked clay, leather and black peppercorn flavors. Delightful.
Wine Enthusiast:
92 Points Editors’ Choice
The aromas are compelling, with notes of sea salt, moist earth after a rain, prosciutto and smoke. The savory flavors coat the palate, lingering on the finish. Impressive stuff. SPS 3/1/20
@Mark_L@ttboy23 fairly limited state list for this one. I bought Gard (here on Casemates) and shipped to MO in the past… that’s probably been 2 years ago though.
I’m typically not a huge fan of someone declaring a wine as “sexy” so I’d be interested to hear more from rats or the winery itself about the juice. Otherwise, the specs on the Vaucluse make me pretty interested…
@mattkillpatty Yeah, Jeb Dunnuck called our Vaucluse “sexy” and “exotic” in his 91-pt review - might be due to the partial whole cluster fermentation, in my opinion. Hard to say what inspires someone to call a wine “sexy” - might vary by the person!
@mattkillpatty I was a labrat for this one. With floral notes and 15% alcohol I could see sexy as a reasonable adjective. It would pair nicely with satin sheets covered in rose petals. But if I see you spill one drop of that bottle we are done here. Do you hear me? I’m still trying to get out the… sorry, I blacked out for a second.
Opened up the Vaucluse with my wife last night. She is a novice wine drinker who prefers simple, sweet, and fruity crowd pleasers. I enjoy mostly old world dry earthy and complex wines. That makes it pretty difficult to find a compromise, but that hasn’t curbed my casemates addiction thanks to a coravin and a healthy thirst (that’s what I’m calling it).
Introductions aside, the Vaucluse bottle also had real cork and a nice thick foil. The wine poured a deep purple. Fairly clear through the edges for such a dark color. The nose and first taste were pure alcohol, plum skins, a bit of spice, and sour cherries. It had quite a bit of bitterness on the finish.
As it opened up, the wine remained a little hot. Some of the bitterness left but still there. Reminds me of the finish on my olio nuovo (@winedavid49, when are we getting some Olivestri Siloro on meh?). Plum skins remained and some other dark berries came through, although I wouldn’t call it fruity. The spice started to reveal itself as Chinese 5 spice. My wife asked if I tasted cinnamon (ha, amateur). The more it opened up, the more earthy and floral the wine tasted. I don’t wear perfume (often), so I can’t really tell you what flowers. The finish is extremely medium.
I don’t drink a lot of Rhone’s, but this is interesting enough that I would definitely give it another go. My wife also seemed to like it, so I may be in on this one. I think it would be a good bridge wine for us for a few occasions.
As far as food pairings are concerned, I could see a coq au vin or some Moroccan meat dishes working well with it. I think it could hold up to a steak, but I would be deliberate about the spices and accompaniments. By pure coincidence, I was making a pot of French onion soup when it arrived. At first it totally clashed and enhanced the bitterness. Once the wine started to open up and some earthiness (and alcohol) came through, I started to dig it.
Since I gained approximately 500 lbs during the first month of quarantine, I wasn’t able to pair it with much else per my wife’s low calorie dinner rules (which, consequently, made this bottle even more fun last night). But, I did save a glass for lunch today in case I find something interesting to eat. I will check back in this afternoon.
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Gård Vintners Mixed Reds - $46 = 23.58%
@chipgreen This is slightly misleading for today’s deal, because the bottle ratio is different in the 4x vs the 12x.
Technically, you’re actually saving more, since one of the less expensive bottles gets replaced with one of the more expensive ones when you buy the case.
2016 Vaucluse, Columbia Valley
Tasting Notes
92 pts & Editor’s Choice - Wine Enthusiast
91 pts - Jeb Dunnuck
90 pts - Vinous
90 pts - Wine Advocate
Specs
2016 The Don, Columbia Valley
Tasting Notes
90 pts - Wine Spectator
Specs
Included in the Box
Price Comparison
$342.94 for a Case of 4x 2016 Vaucluse, Columbia Valley, 8x 2016 The Don, Columbia Valley at Gård Vintners
About The Winery
Winery: Gård Vintners
Owners: Josh & Lisa Lawrence
Founded: 2006
Location: Royal City, WA
Available States
AZ, CA, CO, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, MD, MA, MI, MN, MT, NM, NY, NC, OH, OR, PA, TX, VA, WA, WI
Estimated Delivery
Monday, June 29th - Friday, July 3rd
Gård Vintners Mixed Reds
4 bottles for $64.99 $16.25/bottle + $2/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $159 $13.25/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2016 Vaucluse
2016 The Don
I was one of the lucky ones for this, and received the bottle of the
2016 GARD 'The Don’
the day before it went on sale so I was able to give it a fair appraisal.
The meal I paired this with was a beef stroganoff with a creamy mushroom sauce.
The bottle has a nice proper foil cap and traditional cork.
The liquid inside is a very dark dark ruby color, and I can only really see through the edges when in sunlight.
The scent is bright and fruity. Initial impression is that this could be a crowd pleaser, and it hasn’t really even had a chance to age yet aside from its time in the barrels.
Sipping it without giving it time to decant, it seems remarkably drinkable. Just as with the nose, it is very fruity but does have a fair amount of acidity and a distinct tart aftertaste, almost citrusy.
The tannins are barely noticeable, and if I had to describe the mouthfeel I would say soft-bodied, almost more like a pinot than a primarily Cabernet blend.
There is not much complexity at this point, but it is quite a nice flavor and complimented the creaminess of the stroganoff very well.
I’m glad I didn’t pair it with a steak as I don’t think this has the tannins or body to hold up. Maybe it will open up in time?
I enjoyed my first glass of it, however I did find my mouth feeling a bit puckered from the acidity after I finished.
I poured another glass after a couple hours, and noticed surprisingly little change. Either this needs substantially more time to open, or it is just a very straight-forward wine. I’ll give it a try tomorrow and report back.
@nklb thanks for reporting - I like a straight-forward wine.
The words please, not just the points! ha!
2016 The Don:
From Vinous, 89 points. Bright ruby-red. Aromas of redcurrant, raspberry, red licorice, tobacco leaf and more peppery pyrazines, plus a touch of Syrah reduction. Juicy but much less generous than the varietal Merlot and Cabernet Franc bottlings, showing firm acidity and hints of baking spices and herbs to its slightly clenched black- and redcurrant and licorice flavors. Can’t match the Merlot or Cabernet Franc for texture or depth but finishes with lingering violet perfume and the subtle sweetness to counter its greenness. Half of this blend was aged in a 70-hectoliter round. (this is the first time this bottling has been Cab-heavy)
Wine Spectator 90 points. Precise and well-built, with medium-bodied cherry, black tea and dusty herb flavors that build toward refined tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2027. 1,400 cases made. — TF
2016 Vaucluse:
Jeb Dunnuck, 91 points.A blend of 67% Syrah and 33% Grenache, all from the Lawrence Vineyard in the Columbia Valley, the 2016 Red Wine Vaucluse was aged 20 months in 20% new French oak. It offers a ripe, sexy, exotic, medium-bodied style to go with lots of peach, plums, and flowery, peppery incense aromas and flavors. Seamless on the palate, with fine tannins, it has plenty of upfront appeal yet will also keep nicely for 7-8 years.
Wine Advocate, 90 points. Medium ruby in color, the 2016 Vaucluse Lawrence Vineyards is a blend of Grenache and Syrah with a nose of spiced cherry, soft potpourri, red tea spices and a red floral essence spun with delicate black pepper tones. Medium to full-bodied, the wine becomes even spicier on the palate, showcasing soft and dusty red plum, black raspberry and spiced cherry on the long, lingering finish with hints of baked clay, leather and black peppercorn flavors. Delightful.
Wine Enthusiast:
92 Points Editors’ Choice
The aromas are compelling, with notes of sea salt, moist earth after a rain, prosciutto and smoke. The savory flavors coat the palate, lingering on the finish. Impressive stuff. SPS 3/1/20
https://www.winemag.com/buying-guide/gard-2016-vaucluse-lawrence-estate-red-columbia-valley-wa/
fwiw
A rare offering that does not ship to Missouri.
@Mark_L Because it ships to Illinois, that’s why.
@Mark_L @ttboy23 fairly limited state list for this one. I bought Gard (here on Casemates) and shipped to MO in the past… that’s probably been 2 years ago though.
@Mark_L Same for Nebraska. Started to place my order and was DEnied.
I am becoming a huge fan of Gard, but it isn’t the right time for me to be going in on it. Hope to see the Vaucluse offered again…
LOVED their merlot. Very tempted by this offer…
I’m typically not a huge fan of someone declaring a wine as “sexy” so I’d be interested to hear more from rats or the winery itself about the juice. Otherwise, the specs on the Vaucluse make me pretty interested…
@mattkillpatty Yeah, Jeb Dunnuck called our Vaucluse “sexy” and “exotic” in his 91-pt review - might be due to the partial whole cluster fermentation, in my opinion. Hard to say what inspires someone to call a wine “sexy” - might vary by the person!
@mattkillpatty I was a labrat for this one. With floral notes and 15% alcohol I could see sexy as a reasonable adjective. It would pair nicely with satin sheets covered in rose petals. But if I see you spill one drop of that bottle we are done here. Do you hear me? I’m still trying to get out the… sorry, I blacked out for a second.
@mattkillpatty Oh yeah and also because of the partial whole cluster fermentation.
Hello Casemates friends! Lisa from Gard chiming in today. Thanks for checking out our offer. Happy to answer questions as they arise. Skål!
@gardwine Is “The Don” a new name for “Don Isidro” (which I’ve had before), or is that a different wine?
@Pagefault Yes, same wine as what we formerly called Don Isidro, named after our vineyard manager Isidro Mondragon.
@gardwine thanks! I definitely enjoyed that one in the past!
2016 Vaucluse
Opened up the Vaucluse with my wife last night. She is a novice wine drinker who prefers simple, sweet, and fruity crowd pleasers. I enjoy mostly old world dry earthy and complex wines. That makes it pretty difficult to find a compromise, but that hasn’t curbed my casemates addiction thanks to a coravin and a healthy thirst (that’s what I’m calling it).
Introductions aside, the Vaucluse bottle also had real cork and a nice thick foil. The wine poured a deep purple. Fairly clear through the edges for such a dark color. The nose and first taste were pure alcohol, plum skins, a bit of spice, and sour cherries. It had quite a bit of bitterness on the finish.
As it opened up, the wine remained a little hot. Some of the bitterness left but still there. Reminds me of the finish on my olio nuovo (@winedavid49, when are we getting some Olivestri Siloro on meh?). Plum skins remained and some other dark berries came through, although I wouldn’t call it fruity. The spice started to reveal itself as Chinese 5 spice. My wife asked if I tasted cinnamon (ha, amateur). The more it opened up, the more earthy and floral the wine tasted. I don’t wear perfume (often), so I can’t really tell you what flowers. The finish is extremely medium.
I don’t drink a lot of Rhone’s, but this is interesting enough that I would definitely give it another go. My wife also seemed to like it, so I may be in on this one. I think it would be a good bridge wine for us for a few occasions.
As far as food pairings are concerned, I could see a coq au vin or some Moroccan meat dishes working well with it. I think it could hold up to a steak, but I would be deliberate about the spices and accompaniments. By pure coincidence, I was making a pot of French onion soup when it arrived. At first it totally clashed and enhanced the bitterness. Once the wine started to open up and some earthiness (and alcohol) came through, I started to dig it.
Since I gained approximately 500 lbs during the first month of quarantine, I wasn’t able to pair it with much else per my wife’s low calorie dinner rules (which, consequently, made this bottle even more fun last night). But, I did save a glass for lunch today in case I find something interesting to eat. I will check back in this afternoon.
@char2na great report. I need to put in low calorie rules myself.
Gard = autobuy Hooray! In for a case…
hellish-timid-maid
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: Tax & Shipping not included in savings calculations)
2016 Gård Vintners Mixed Reds - $46 = 23.58%
@chipgreen This is slightly misleading for today’s deal, because the bottle ratio is different in the 4x vs the 12x.
Technically, you’re actually saving more, since one of the less expensive bottles gets replaced with one of the more expensive ones when you buy the case.
@chipgreen @Pagefault I know what you mean. I thought a 3-bottle (1 and 2) option would be a better to scale down a 4 and 8 case.
/giphy silky-unwritten-ferret
@izmarkie Reminds me of my pet “Snoops” who thought he was a PC tech:
Solid juice, fantastic offer.
/giphy flavored-torrential-tortellini
But WHY no love for South Carolina, eh?? Darn it all, I was ready to click “buy” on this one.
With the rattage and vinter participation, we’re in for our first Gård case!
/giphy likely-dormant-hour
/giphy abashed-offhand-broccoli
