Winemaker Notes
Fruit driven, with fine herbaceous notes in its youth, it generally undergoes a slow evolution towards more spicy notes after several years’ cellaring.
Blend:75% Grenache, 13% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah, 2% Cinsault
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
This sports a fun tumble of cassis, cherry paste and raspberry coulis notes, while red licorice, roasted applewood and tar accents fill in. Has range and energy from start to finish. Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault. Best from 2023.
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Decanter
Grenache to the fore, strawberry and Victoria plum, but all the varieties make themselves known. This is medium-bodied, not excessive, large or heavy with real purity and drinkability. It has a good sense of balance and elegance with fine tannins. The alcohol is warm but not out of balance. Eight different plots around Gigondas, biodynamically farmed, partly destemmed.
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Jeb Dunnuck
Moving to the 2019s from bottle, the 2019 Gigondas Aux Lieux-Dits has a beautiful bouquet of blackberries, black cherries, ground pepper, and floral nuances. With obvious minerality and medium to full-bodied richness on the palate, it’s a terrific base cuvée that shines for its elegance and balance. It will keep for 15 years or more. This cuvée comes from eight different parcels and is partially destemmed and aged in foudre and amphora. The blend wasn’t specified. Best after 2022.
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.