Gigondas Terrasse du Diable 2018 - Domaine Les Pallières

Gigondas Terrasse du Diable 2018 - Domaine Les Pallières

Gigondas - Famille Brunier : Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe

(93 - 95)/100 Parker

Cellaring: Now through 2030.

Tasted by Joe Czerwinski in 2019: "The 2018 Gigondas Terrasse du Diable comes from yields that ended up being about half the estate average (only 11 hectoliters per hectare). It's full-bodied, with a rich but silky texture, ripe cherry and raspberry flavors and a long finish that hints at clove and licorice. The exact blend of the estate's wines was not yet finalized when I tasted this sample, but historically, this cuvée is about 85% Grenache and 15% Mourvedre."

Owned by the Brunier family (or Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe and American importer Kermit Lynch), Domaine Les Pallières bottles two cuvées of Gigondas each year. Terrasse du Diable comes from the highest and coolest parcels, while Les Racines comes from the plateau surrounding the estate itself and includes the oldest vines on the property. Of the two, Le Diable is generally the more powerful wine, but it never seems to lack elegance. There is also an interesting barrel-fermented rosé produced as a Vin de France.

GEOGRAPHICAL SITUATION: extreme north of the appellation. Terraces located on the lieux-dits of Poncet, Thomas, Les Pallières and Terrasse du Diable. This selection of parcels comes from vineyards at an altitude of between 250 and 400m. For the most part, these are independent plots of land, small in size and surrounded by woodland.

SURFACE AREA: the estate covers 135 ha in one piece, 25 of which are planted with vines and 110 with wood (pine and oak). For the blend "Terrasse du Diable", about 40% of the vineyard area is used.

SOIL AND SUBSOIL: the estate is cultivated in stairs terraces on most of the surface, due to the very steep relief. The soil, partly covered with limestone scree from the Dentelles de Montmirail, is very shallow and rests on a very compact layer of red clay. The density of the scree increases with altitude.

Grape varieties: Grenache noir 90 %, mourvèdre 5 %, clairette 5 %.

AGE OF THE VINEYARDS: 45 years old on average.

VINIFICATION: hand-picked grapes with double sorting in the vineyard, followed by a third sorting in the cellar, light crushing and selective de-stemming, traditional fermentation for 25 to 30 days in concrete and wooden vats under controlled temperatures. Pressing in pneumatic press, systematic malolactic fermentation.

MATURING: 20 months in 60 hectolitre French oak foudres. Bottling without fining or filtration.

PERSONALITY AND AGEING: in its youth, the cuvée "Terrasse du Diable" carries the minerality, freshness and sometimes tannins that are too marked of the high altitude terroirs. Beautiful vintages have a potential of more than 20 years.

TASTING TEMPERATURE: 17°C.

PRODUCTION POTENTIAL: equivalent to 30 000 bts of 75 cl.