Winemaker Notes
This wine is dressed in a beautiful purple robe with deep and brilliant reflections. Its nose exhales an aromatic bouquet and a great complexity, on notes of very ripe fruits such as blackberry and cherry, wrapped by an elegant folded key. The palate is perfectly balanced, both concentrated and delicate, on jammy fruit and spices. The finish is long, extending on straight tannins.
Blend: 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Wine Enthusiast
Boasting equal power yet a remarkable translucence of fruit compared to its oakier sister bottling, Les Mourres opens with breakthaking aromas of violet, anise and crème de cassis. It’s unctous and creamy yet elegant and upright, with a finish that lingers on fine, velvet tannins. Beautiful already the wine should improve through 2030 and hold further.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2017 Gigondas Les Mourres offers a slightly more traditional vibe as well as sweet red and black fruits, spiced meat, garrigue, and bouquet garni-like aromas and flavors. Based on 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, raised in concrete tanks and old barrels, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a ripe, sexy, fruit-forward texture, ripe tannins, and a great finish. Buy it.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Cola and spice notes appear on the nose of the 2017 Gigondas les Mourres, a cuvée that has been terrific each of the past three vintages. It's full-bodied, fleshes out nicely on the palate with red fruit flavors and has a rich, creamy texture. A blend of 80% Grenache with 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, it boasts a long, mouthwatering finish on top of all its other goodies.Yum.
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.