Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Le Plateau 2018

  • 96 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 96 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 95 Wine
    Spectator
  • 95 Robert
    Parker
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Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Le Plateau 2018 Front Bottle Shot
Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Le Plateau 2018 Front Bottle Shot Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas Le Plateau 2018  Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2018

Size
750ML

ABV
14.5%

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

An ink-like robe in appearance. A floral nose, black olive and rosewood. On the palate, a very monolithic profile, almost timeless. The fruit, and then the green touch of complexity, of the ripe stalk. Very large tannins quality, in tight rows, and smooth by long aging.

Professional Ratings

  • 96

    All Mourvèdre brought up in old demi-muids, the 2018 Gigondas Le Plateau is a stunning example of this variety that does everything right. Classic Mourvèdre notes of blueberries, mulberries, new leather, lavender, and ground pepper give way to a full-bodied, beautifully balanced, elegant 2018 that has a stacked mid-palate, flawless balance, silky tannins, and a great finish. It shows more tannins and structure with time in the glass, so give this beauty 2-3 years of bottle age, it should have 15-20 years of overall longevity.

    Rating: 96+

  • 96

    Powerful and piercing, this concentrated, inky red is a focused study of Mourvèdre (augmented by small percentages of Syrah, Cinsault, Grenache, Counoise, and Clairette). Sourced from a high-altitude, north-facing site, it juxtaposes rich cassis and black-cherry flavors against sharp angularity, spice and herbaceousness. Co-fermented in 100% whole clusters, this vibrant wine should drink at peak now through 2030 and hold further. Editors’ Choice. 

  • 95

    Juicy and youthfully compact, this has a wound-up core of blackberry and dark plum paste flavors that will take a little time to unwind, while tar, anise and roasted alder notes guide this along. Muscular but fresh and focused too, with plenty of pure fruit in reserve.

  • 95

    One of the few truly remarkable Mourvèdres from the Rhône Valley, the 2018 Gigondas Le Plateau comes from vines planted in 1922 on a north-facing site. Aged in used demi-muids, it's rich and velvety, full-bodied, with notes of raspberry compote, cassia bark, juniper and citrus zest. Spicy, complex and richly textured, it lingers on the finish.

Other Vintages

2019
  • 97 Robert
    Parker
  • 96 Wine
    Spectator
  • 95 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 94 Decanter
2017
  • 95 Wine
    Spectator
  • 95 Decanter
  • 95 Jeb
    Dunnuck
  • 94 Robert
    Parker
  • 94 Wine
    Enthusiast
Domaine des Bosquets

Domaine des Bosquets

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Domaine des Bosquets, France
Domaine des Bosquets Domaine des Bosquets at Dusk Winery Image

Much like many of the appellations of the southern Rhône, the wines of Gigondas are based on the Grenache grape. It tends to rusticity if yields are not checked or if it is vinified carelessly. It is supported by Syrah and Mourvèdre with smaller amounts of various other varieties. There are two types of wine made in Gigondas, red and rosé, but the production of rosé is so small it’s mainly an academic point. Gigondas is red wine country. While you can find some white varieties in the vineyards, they are either bottled as Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc or co-fermented with the red grapes to make Gigondas red and rosé wines.

Domaine des Bosquets has deep historical roots in Gigondas. It was first mentioned as a vineyard site in 1376. Bosquets means “a wooded grove,” which is an apt name for many of the vineyards one finds high up in the Dentelles – isolated and surrounded by forest and scrub. The oldest surviving buildings on the property, constructed in 1644 under Jean de Rivière Seigneur de Laval’s direction, are comprised of a defensive tower, protective walls, and a solidly built provençal farmhouse. All have thick walls testifying to the need for protection against the cold winds of winter, the heat of summer, and the risks of living in such a remote corner of France. In 1674 the estate was inherited by the Chauvet family, who ran the property for many generations. In the 19th century, the estate passed through Eugène Raspail’s hands, who reorganized many of the vineyard plots and terraced portions of them. In 1961 Gabriel Meffre discovered that Domaine des Bosquets was for sale. Motivated by the potential and history of the estate and his love of his wife Juliette, a descendant of the Chauvet family, he purchased Domaine des Bosquets to bring it back into the family.

The property Gabriel and Juliette had purchased was in some state of disrepair. The earlier work of Eugène Raspail was unfinished but following in his footsteps, they completed the reorganization of the vineyards, most notably finishing the terraces that separated two vineyards sites that would become La Colline and Le Plateau. Many of the vines that exist today at Domaine des Bosquets were planted by Gabriel and Juliette, relying on their friendship with the Reynaud of Château Rayas for budwood to replant much of the Grenache and Syrah and expanding the plantings to the estate’s current size of 26 hectares. When Gabriel died in 1987, Domaine des Bosquets passed to his daughter Sylvette and Sylvette’s son Laurent Brechet. In 1995 Laurent built a fermentation room and cellar at Domaine des Bosquets – before that time the grapes were sent to Gabriel Meffre’s négoce operation in Gigondas and later they were fermented and aged at Château de Vaudieu in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The most recent chapter of Domaine des Bosquets’ history began in 2010 when Julien Brechet, Laurent’s younger brother, took charge of the property. With little in the way of technical training, Laurent sent him to Château de Pibarnon in Bandol to begin his training before finishing his informal studies at Château de Vaudieu. Julien considers 2015 to be his first independent vintage. While Philippe and Laurent were available to answer questions, he was left largely on his own. With each successive vintage that we taste, we are astounded that wines that were so remarkable when we first added them to our portfolio just keep getting better.

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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.

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Gigondas Wine

Rhone, France

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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.

PDXFL704260_2018 Item# 704260

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