Winemaker Notes
A wonderful accompaniment to fresh pasta in meat sauce with char-grilled zucchini.
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This sports a core of dark fig, blackberry and red currant paste, along with notes of tar, lavender, roasted juniper and tobacco. Shows heft and drive, yet remains remarkably refined, offering a long, precise chalk spine that runs from start to finish. A deft combination of power and elegance. Best from 2020 through 2040.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Gigondas le Poste is a classic expression of this vineyard and shows the more elegant, perfumed style that always comes from this site. Violets, flowers, raspberries, blueberries and green herbs all emerge from this full-bodied, lengthy and impeccably balanced Gigondas that has ultra-fine tannin and perfectly integrated acidity. Brought up just like the other two single vineyard releases, this beauty will be more accessible in its youth, yet I suspect it will age just as long.
Range: 94-96 -
James Suckling
This has an extremely focused nose with dark plums, stones and mocha as well as graphite. The palate has sheet-like layers of ripe, glossy tannins, and plenty of rich dark fruit flavor, too. Great balance.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
The Southern Rhône region of Gigondas extends northwest from the notably jagged wall of mountains called the Dentelles di Montmirail, whose highest point climbs to about 2,600 feet. The region and its wines have much in common with the neighboring Chateauneuf-du-Pape except that the vineyards of Gigondas exist at higher elevation and its soils, comprised mainly of crumbled limestone from the Dentelles, often produce a more dense and robust Grenache-based red wine.
The region has a history of fine winemaking, extending back to Roman times. But by the 20th century, Gigondas was merely lumped into the less distinct zone of Côtes du Rhône Villages. However, it was first among these satellite villages to earn its own appellation, which occurred in 1971.
Gigondas reds must be between 50 to 100% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre comprising the bulk of the remainder of the blend. They tend express rustic flavors and aromas of wild blackberry, raspberry, fig, plum, as well as juniper, dried herbs, anise, smoke and river rock. The best are bold but balanced, and finish with impressively sexy and velvety tannins.
The Gigondas appellation also produces rosé but no white wines.