Winemaker Notes
The aromas of black fruits along with red fruits join the flavors of garrigue and black olives. Powerful tannins blend into a long finish.
Pair with leg of suckling lamb with thyme flower, ratatouille, Provençal tomatoes, and lamb tagine with prunes.
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
A very expressive Gigondas with great Mediterranean herb character plus black olives. Powerful and structured, but with brightness and salty minerality lifting the bold palate. Made from grapes bought from three vineyards. A cuvee dominated by grenache, syrah and mourvedre with cinsault and clairette rose. 65% matured in concentrate tanks and 35% in oak barriques. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The third vintage of this cuvée, the 2021 La Solitude Gigondas Bellecoste features attractive scents of ripe cherries and fine leather. A selection from three producers, it's medium-bodied and even a touch crisp but silky in texture, with ample length on the finish.
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.