Winemaker Notes
The Gigondas Reserve (reserve as of the 2018 vintage) comprises the majority of the production at Domaine des Bosquets. It is about 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 8% Mourvèdre and 2% Cinsault sourced from all the terroirs Julien farms.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
The original blended Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas is now available in two cuvées: Font des Bosquets (young vines, shorter ageing, no oak) and Réserve (older vines, 14 plots vinified separately including fruit from the top single vineyard sites, maturation in different types of oak for 18 months depending on the variety). The result is an extraordinary exercise in elegance, beautifully silky tannins and deeply vinous fruit. This is long, shapely and tapered with depth, freshness, elegance, and a seamless character. If the alcohol was marginally better integrated this would possible score higher. It's quite an expressive, almost showy wine, but it will be excellent when it's ready. Not as strongly characterful as each of the single vineyard expressions, but better balanced, and more quintessentially Gigondas. In organic conversion.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Leading off the 2018s from bottle, the 2018 Gigondas Réserve is a mix of Grenache, Mourvèdre, and Syrah, and can be thought of as the classic cuvée of the domaine. It’s beautifully done and shows the style of the domaine in its full-bodied, rich, yet also elegant profile. Offering a mix of red and black fruits, herbes de Provence, peppery garrigue, and flowers, this beauty is flawlessly balanced, has a round, layered mouthfeel, ripe tannins, and just tons of character. Drink this little gem any time over the coming decade.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Although I reported differently last year, the final blend of the 2018 Gigondas is approximately 65% Grenache, with the rest a mix of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault (in descending order of preponderance). Gentle notes of bay leaf and thyme accent purple raspberries on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied and generous, showing supple, silky tannin's and surprisingly crisp acids on the finish.
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Wine Spectator
Fresh and lively, with a ripe core of dark cherry and blackberry fruit leading the way for dried garrigue, singed apple wood and dark licorice notes.
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.