Gigondas: Domaine du Grand Montmirail 'Vieilles Vignes' 2016
"The finest wine ever from this estate is the 2016 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes, which is 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre that was destemmed and brought up in 30% new barrels. (The Grenache was brought up all in concrete.) It’s an incredibly gorgeous, full-bodied, powerful yet elegant Gigondas that has rocking notes of plums, black raspberries, kirsch, spice, and new saddle leather literally soaring from the glass. With ultra-fine tannins, a silky, seamless texture, no hard edges, and a great, great finish, it’s a wine to buy by the case. 95/100."
Jeb Dunnuck - JebDunnuck.com
300cl Jeroboam, in a wooden presentation case.
This Gigondas wine is an outstanding Southern Rhône blend from another bastion of reliability in the vicinity, our old friend Yves Chéron. It cries out for bold, rustic cuisine and will mature gracefully for a decade or longer in good vintages.
The 'Grand Montmirail' bottling of Gigondas hails from mature rootstock (hence 'Vieilles Vignes' cuvée) in patron Yves Cheron's own vineyard. Eminently approachable now (although worth decanting) it will cellar well for a further 5 to 7 years.
This Gigondas shows a spicy, baked stone-fruit quality with gently warming tannins, that is redolent of the craggy, arid, sun-kissed landscape where the grapes are grown. Arguably a touch denser and more structured than its Vacqueyras sibling, it has the same bright fruit and balance and is equally versatile.
Style | Red Wine, Sec, Full-bodied, Non Sparkling |
---|---|
Wine Region | Rhône, Gigondas |
Grape Variety (Cépage) | Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah |
Food & Wine Matching | Beef, Casserole, Lamb, Mushrooms |
Viticulture | Non-Organic |
Vintage | 2016 |
Cellarage | Commendably never released without some maturity, this Gigondas wine ages well in the medium term (2 to 10 years). |
Vinification | Hand harvested grapes are macerated and fermented in stainless steel vats then racked in used oak barrels for at least a year before bottling. |
Alcohol By Volume (%) | 15 |
Yves Cheron
Yves Cheron (aka Pascal Frères) is a Négociant-Vinificateur – a wine merchant and winemaker, who lives on an attractive estate below the Dentelles de Montmirail. He produces his own Gigondas & Vacqueyras (both named Grand Montmirail) from vineyards at the domaine, as well as vinifying wines from bought in grapes at his négociant enterprise, Pascal Frères, which is situated between the two villages.
View more wines from this producer...