Provençal Pairings: Wine with Food

The Governor

by David Scott Allen

Winery: Domaine de la Citadelle
Cuvée: Gouverneur Saint-Auban Rouge
Appellation: Côtes du Luberon
Type: Red
Vintage: 2011
Grape Varieties: Syrah, Grenache, Mourvèdre
Alcohol: 14%
Average Retail Price: $35

Big. Bold. Luscious.

Those are the first three words I used to describe my first taste of Gourverneur Saint-Auban Rouge from Domaine de la Citadelle. We had it last week paired with Seared Lamb Medallions with a Tamari-Ginger Glaze. To see the recipe, visit Cocoa & Lavender.

Okay, I got a bit ahead of myself. Back to opening the bottle…

We decanted the wine several hours before our meal, and I could not wait to get to the tasting. Upon opening there was a resinous quality and a touch of manure. After breathing for a while, it converted to earthy aromas, the spicy scent of ferns in the forest.

Aside from big, bold, and luscious, the first taste was of spice — cloves and mace: sweet, yet savory. There is a lot of dark fruit here – plum and blackberry, and an underling note of quince, giving it almost a sense of honey. When people describe wines as “jammy,” I usually think of American Zinfandel, and I generally dislike the use of the word. But here I feel I need use it — no other word comes to mind.

The mouthfeel — this is where luscious came in. It just felt so good in my mouth: thick and chewy and comforting. It is incredibly well-balanced, with the perfect acidity for the meal. The tannins are present but not overwhelming. The finish on this wine is long and luxurious, and includes notes of licorice and a very pleasant smokiness.

I will finish by wishing there was a case of this wine in my cellar. (Okay, I live in the desert — we don’t have cellars/basements.) But I wish this for my dark, cool closet… More recent vintages are available and I will start my search now.

I really liked this wine a lot, and it is an excellent choice for your Pascal lamb, or any roasted meat or game. It can handle a good amount of spice, too.

4 Comments

  1. This recipe sounds absolutely wonderful but not for the lamb here in Provence. Here, yes it too is grass fed it’s but much more than that as I can see from my window. They’re grazing on thyme, rosemary and the wildflowers that are covering the hillsides. I wouldn’t want to do anything more than something simple. But of course, the wine sounds perfect.

    • Thanks, Jan — I completely understand wanting to use the simplest preparation as possible with your lamb! You could easily try this with beef or pork — it would be just as good! Oh, how I would love some if that Provençal lamb now!

  2. David, it is so interesting to see this post. Just yesterday Dennis was making a lamb dinner and I had remembered an earlier post where I believe you suggested, in this pandemic, to pull out the fancy china and tablecloth for everyday encounters. I pulled out a beautiful white cloth that was a yet unopened gift, and my grandmother’s china which I had never used. I was struggling to select the appropriate wine for the lamb so I went to Cocoa and Lavender, searched through all recipes for lamb, and this exact recipe with your wine selection came up. You were with us as I set the table and decanted a French red, Domaine de L’Ocre, 2015 De Natua Vini (the closest I could find to your blend). Thank you for enhancing our table and evening!
    Heidi
    PS Dennis says he will return to this recipe for his next lamb dinner.

    • Heidi – I am so glad you got out the white tablecloth and your grandmother’s china — I wish I could have seen your beautiful table and Dennis’ beautiful lamb. The wine sounds like a great choice. Thanks for bringing Cocoa & Lavender to your table. Hope you are well and safe.

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