Domaine Du Grapillon D’Or – Rhone, Gigondas 2020

An alluring red, with impressive fruit purity to the sweet cherry, red licorice and cassis flavors supported by a spine of iron and superfine tannins. Beautifully textured and juicy, with a backdrop of charred garrigue and smoked apple wood flavors that linger through the long finish. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2032. 5,000 cases made- Wine Spectator, 92 pts

Terroir

The terroirs of Gigondas form a unique geological unit.

The vineyard is set in the setting of the Dentelles de Montmirail, born from the sea 200 million years ago. The Dentelles are the combination of sedimentation (deposit of limestone and marl from the Jurassic and Cretaceous, sands and sandstone from the Tertiary era) and a tectonic mixing. The Dentelles massif emerges with the construction of the Pyrenees and the Alpine thrust. “This geological originality is very rare in the Rhône Valley. The resulting soils constitute structured and unique terroirs, for very complex wines. ”

A complex terroir, The estate benefits from an exceptional terroir and our vineyard is marked by the diversity of the terroirs. The terroir of the property is mainly composed of the “Cône de la Font des Papes” with sandy and clayey soils as well as limestone and gravel fragments. The variety of these terroirs gives an exceptional complexity to our wines. “We limit and minimize the use of plant protection products, but we do not refrain from using them when the circumstances require.”

A cool micro-climate, Southern Provençal influence, its climate of contrasts is subject to the heat of summer and the violence of the Mistral. Hot and dry, it enjoys nearly 2,800 hours of sunshine per year. The geology of the Dentelles induces very diverse exposures and is the main vector for a most interesting microclimate, the Dentelles cause rising and falling breezes, which moderate the temperature peaks. “For the majority of the vineyard, the West / North-West exposure gives perfect aeration, avoids the excessive heat of summer and gives the wines a finesse and acidity which make them wines of excellent aging potential.”

A know-how herited from previous generations, an everyday job

The wines from the Grapillon d’Or Estate are made from a selection of grapes grown on small parcels, producing wines with rich concentration, a promise of long-keeping.For the Gigondas territory, the yield per hectare is only 35 hectoliters, one of the lowest in French appellation wines.
This limit is scrupulously respected in order to produce a wine of quality and typical of the appellation.Keeping wines, easily beyond 10 years, the wines from Gigondas, when young, have aromas of freshly picked red fruit which over the years become spicier with a bouquet of ripe fruit, cherry or prune. Perfectly balanced in concentration, body and finesse, they have all the elegance of great wines.Blended in the estate’s cellar, aged primarily in oak barrels, the wines are made in the greatest respect of tradition, combined with modern know-how.

Cuvee 1806

Colour: Red
Grape-Varieties:
Majority of GRENACHE then SYRAH
Yield: 34 hl/hectares, one of the lowest in France.

The Vineyard: We have many parcels which are forty years old.

Exposure and soil: The vineyard is essentially situated on the north-south hillsides of Gigondas. We often have a lot of mistral wind.
The soil is sandy at the top of the hill and clayish-limestone at the bottom.

Vinification: The vinification is traditional, the grapes are harvested by hand and carefully sorted. The grapes are destemmed but slightly crushed.
The maceration lasts 20 to 25 days to obtain maximum concentration and aromas.
Our Gigondas is not fined or filtered.

Aging:
The ageing of this wine is done in oak barrels and tank, for 12 to 18 months, allowing the wine to air, to acquire roundness and soften its tannins.
This wine is Estate-bottled with our own bottling system.

« It has a brilliant deep ruby red colour with intense aromas of red fruits, pepper, spice and liquorice. It’s a full bodied and powerful wine, well balanced with a very long finish. It’s a rich and elegant wine »

Serving Suggestions:
This wine is perfect with leg of lamb, beef with wine sauce, roasted pigeon, mushroom omelette, truffle omelette, game and cheese. This wine is perfect with many dishes.

Serve it at the temperature of 18°.
It’s a keeping wine (10 years) it’s best between 2 and 6 years.