Winemaker Notes
Deep dark purple color. Fruity and spicy rich nose, complex. Very round and powerful, good length on the palate, solid tannins, beautiful woody, ripe retro-olfaction, chocolate.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Few French appellations are as exciting as Gigondas at present, as growers slowly grow more skilled at expressing the extraordinary diversity which lies hidden in this appellation, and as drinkers come to realize just how different Gigondas is to Chateauneuf and to other great Southern Rhone AOC zones. This complex yet seductive wine will win the zone many new friends with its headily floral, sweet-fruited scents and its lush, soft-textured, stony and perfumed flavors. Plum, strawberry and damson rarely attain this level of fragrant charm, yet look out too for the almost sour-fresh note of ripe acidity here. Drink 2019-2025.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Gigondas Les Hauts De Montmirail is made from Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah that was brought up in 50% new French oak. Its deep ruby/purple color is followed by a beautiful bouquet of blackberries, ground pepper, spring flowers, and earth. It's medium to full-bodied, has fine, polished tannins, beautiful balance, and a great finish. It will be even better with short term cellaring and keep for over a decade.
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Wine Enthusiast
Cutting mineral tones lend vitality to ripe, concentrated blackberry and plum in this wine. Aged partially in new French oak, it’s richly textured but elegantly composed, finishing on meandering veins of smoke, anise and sage. Stunning already, it should improve through 2030 and hold further.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Although the 2017 Gigondas les Hauts de Montmirail displays super ripe notes of black cherries and chocolate, it also exhibits great freshness. Yes, it's full-bodied, intense and slightly cedary from oak, but there's also ample length and elegance on the finish. It's a terrific effort.
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James Suckling
Suave Gigondas with ripe black cherries and plums, delivered in a focused mode. The fresh tannins are so beautifully honed and balanced. Drink or hold.
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.