Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2010 Gigondas Le Lieu-Dit is a blend of 95% Grenache and 5% Syrah aged totally in 2- to 5-year-old small oak casks. Le Lieu-Dit is a special 2.47-acre, hillside parcel situated at an altitude of 300 meters. The soil is essentially all sand, which seems to be the perfect foil for Grenache in the southern Rhone. This majestic effort reveals full-bodied intensity, gorgeously pure notes of raspberries, cherries, lavender and licorice and lots of glycerin (the alcohol must be around 15%). One of the finest wines of the vintage, this killer effort should drink well for 15+ years.
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Wine Spectator
Deep, long and remarkably graceful, offering smoldering black tea, incense and violet notes up front, while the core of linzer torte, cassis and plum sauce waits in reserve. A graphite underpinning, along with extra notes of iron and singed anise, drives 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.