Press Book Press Book

Size: px

Start display at page:

Download "Press Book Press Book"

Hester Mitchell
5 years ago
Views:

1 Press Book

Gigondas, Cru des Côtes-du-rhône Right in the middle of the triangle making up the towns of Carpentras, Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine is the village of Gigondas.

A village therefore whose destiny was to cultivate vines and make wine and hence led to the development of authentic winemaking traditions for the following two thousand years.

lonia Julia Arausio» who were based in the town of Orange during the 1st century B.C. As evidence there are still Gallo-Roman vats in the wine cellars of Domaine de Saint Cosme.

2 Gigondas, Cru des Côtes-du-rhône Right in the middle of the triangle making up the towns of Carpentras, Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine is the village of Gigondas. Once known as «Jucunditas» which in Latin means joy and jubilation. A village therefore whose destiny was to cultivate vines and make wine and hence led to the development of authentic winemaking traditions for the following two thousand years. In fact the first ever vineyards can be traced back to veterans of the Second Roman Legion and founders of the «Colonia Julia Arausio» who were based in the town of Orange during the 1st century B.C. As evidence there are still Gallo-Roman vats in the wine cellars of Domaine de Saint Cosme. At the end of the 19th century, following the plagues of phylloxera which attacked vines all over France, olive groves were planted in Gigondas to replace the diseased vines. But even the olive trees couldn t survive the terrible frosts in the winters of 1929 and They were therefore replaced once again by vines at the beginning of the 1960s. And today the same vines still dominate the hills of Gigondas. Under the influence of Eugène Raspail, vine cultivation took on a more agronomical and organised dimension. If vines have always preferred the soils of Gigondas, the wine itself didn t gain recognition until 1971 when it obtained the appellation «Gigondas, Cru des Côtes du Rhône». For two thousand years, village village in the in heart the heart of the of Dentelles the Dentelles de Mont- de Montmirail lived lived mainly mainly from from its its wines. wines. Today, more than 200 winemakers continue this tradition.

Gigondas, its terroir The Gigondas vineyard

which in turn is part of the Vaucluse region,

Dentelles de Montmirail to the East, the

3 Gigondas, its terroir The Gigondas vineyard stretches over a surface area of 1220 hectares (3,014 acres). It only covers the rural district of Gigondas, which in turn is part of the Vaucluse region, located in the South-Eastern part of the Rhône Valley vineyard. Its natural limits follow the line made by the Dentelles de Montmirail to the East, the Ouvèze River to the West, the Trignon torrent in the North and the hills leading down from the Dentelles to the South.

Gigondas, the magic of limestone This vineyard is unique in its diversity.

Montmirail; incredible pyramids of grey calcareous rocks cutting the Provençal blue sky. The Dentelles de Montmirail were formed by the sea over 200 million years ago.

Situated on the fault known as the Nîmes Fault, the Dentelles mountain range emerged at the same time as the Pyrenees Mountain and the Alps.

4 Gigondas, the magic of limestone This vineyard is unique in its diversity. Gigondas appellation wines begin on the plateau at an altitude of 100m, gently climbing up around the village to finish with abrupt slopes of up to 500m high on the areas around the Dentelles de Montmirail; incredible pyramids of grey calcareous rocks cutting the Provençal blue sky. The Dentelles de Montmirail were formed by the sea over 200 million years ago. Rising to 630m at the Rocher du Turc, they are a rich example of geological history. They are a combination of long periods of sedimentation and of the tectonic period. Situated on the fault known as the Nîmes Fault, the Dentelles mountain range emerged at the same time as the Pyrenees Mountain and the Alps. This geological originality is very rare in the Rhône Valley. The resulting soils produce structured and unique terroirs for very complex wines. This tormented geology induces very extreme exposure and the Dentelles are the principal vector of the very important microclimate. With a Southern French climate renowned for its contrasts, it endures the summer heat and violent Mistral winds. With the abrupt wall produced by the Dentelles emerging from the plain, the Dentelles produce ascending and descending breezes which temper any extreme temperatures of a hot and dry climate. For the majority of the Gigondas vineyard, the West to North-West exposure gives perfect ventilation and helps avoid the excessive summer temperatures.

Gigondas, it wines Area under cultivation 2015: 2016: 2013: 1213 1202 1215 ha ha Production 2015: 2016: 2013: 40,884 36,934 29,703 hl hl Yield 2015: 2016: 2013: 33.5 30.70 24.

varietals, varietals, has has a a unique unique character. character. Gigondas Gigondas is a is haven a haven of freshness of freshness for Grenache.

5 Gigondas, it wines Area under cultivation 2015: 2016: 2013: ha ha Production 2015: 2016: 2013: 40,884 36,934 29,703 hl hl Yield 2015: 2016: 2013: hl/ha Distribution of sales in in volume: 35% export In In Gigondas, Gigondas, Grenache Grenache grape grape variety, variety, King King of of the the Southern Southern Rhône Rhône Valley Valley varietals, varietals, has has a a unique unique character. character. Gigondas Gigondas is a is haven a haven of freshness of freshness for Grenache. for Grenache. By By limiting limiting sun s sun s rays rays in in morning morning Dentelles Dentelles help help lengthen lengthen ripening ripening process process of of Grenache Grenache which which needs needs to to ripen ripen slowly slowly to to be be able able to to develop develop to to its its full full potential. potential. This This cool cool micro-climate, micro-climate, combined combined with with limestone, limestone, lends lends its its powerful powerful red red wines wines a freshness freshness and and capacity capacity for for ageing. ageing. The The Syrah Syrah grape grape variety variety is is blended blended in in more more moderate moderate quantities. quantities. It reinforces It reinforces deep deep garnet garnet colour colour and and adds adds a fantastic a fantastic aromatic aromatic burst. burst. The Mourvèdre The Mourvèdre grape grape brings brings greater greater aromatic aromatic complexity complexity of of spices spices to to Gigondas Gigondas and and it it adapts adapts perfectly perfectly to to being being matured matured in in oak. oak. Finally Finally there there are are also also the the grape grape varieties varieties of of Cinsault, Cinsault, Clairette Clairette as well as well a little a amount little amount of Terret of Terret noir, Cournoire noir, Cournoise and Picardan. and Picardan. The red Gigondas has an attractive sun-kissed robe, going from ruby to a rich dark purple. When young it reveals a bouquet of cherries, squashed strawberries and very ripe blackberries, black currants, and blueberries. With age it it develops truffle and woodland scents. On palate, palate, this this Gigondas Gigondas is rich is and rich full-bodied. and full-bodied. Its terroir Its is terroir so complex is so it complex gives wines it gives with wines a large with array a large of aromas array ranging of aromas from ranging fruity (prunes from fruity and figs) (prunes to spicy and (white figs) tu pepper, spicy herbs, (white thyme pepper, and herbs, liquorice) thyme flavours. and liquorice) It develops flavours. favourably It develops with time, favourably becoming with more time, refined becoming with more age. refined with age. Gigondas reds, reds, if if matured matured slowly slowly can can be kept be kept for a for long a time. long Their time. excel- Their lent excellent capacity capacity to be to aged be means aged means the resulting the resulting wines wines are concentrated, are concentrated, wellbalanced well balanced and of and exceptional of exceptionnal finesse. finesse. Historically Gigondas rosé came about for the purpose of concentrating the red wines. If it it represents only a very small part of total production (about 1%), it it deserves our full attention for its uncommonly typical of its varietal and its remarkable roundness on the palate. Its robe robe has has a strong a strong pink pink colour colour with with purple purple tints. tints. The bouquet The bouquet is an explo- is an explosion of almonds of almonds and cooked and cooked fruit. fruit. On the On palate the palate it is heady, it is heady, generous generous and well and well balanced. balanced. The Gigondas rosé could surprise you as an aperitif wine or hold its own throughout a whole meal.

6 Gigondas, ses millésimes 2015 : un millésime d excellence 2016: a classic vintage The 2016 vintage was truly unique, with perfect climatic conditions for our Rhône varieties and an exceptional harvest. Looking back on this outstanding year, winter was defined by particularly mild temperatures despite relatively little sunshine. Spring 2016 was dry and quite cool. Rainfall was light but regular throughout the vegetation growth stage and as a result of the dry conditions, vineyard health was excellent from the start of the vegetative phase through to harvest. A hot, sunny summer encouraged the grapes to ripen. The vines were in perfect health and picking began in Gigondas around September 20th, ending around October 10th. The 2016 harvest was one of the latest of the last two decades. The exceptional climatic conditions allowed all the varieties to be picked at optimum maturity, and the September rains were advantageous. The harvested fruit was of superb quality. Grenache and Syrah are particularly well suited to our region s dry, windy conditions and thus they thrived and revealed their full potential. First tastings indicate that this will be an exceptional vintage, with pronounced aromatic intensity, great concentration, perfect balance and good structure thanks to the perfectly ripe tannins; delicate aromas of blackcurrant, liquorice and raspberry linger in the cellars. In terms of volume, the 2016 vintage is likely to be relatively low, similar to that of Thanks to its excellent quality and ageing potential, 2016 should be one of Gigondas very best vintages!

Gigondas, ses its millésimes vintages 2015 : un millésime d excellence 2015 : an outstanding year After two difficult vintages to deal with Mother Nature, 2016 shows the signs of a really exceptional

7 Gigondas, ses its millésimes vintages 2015 : un millésime d excellence 2015 : an outstanding year After two difficult vintages to deal with Mother Nature, 2016 shows the signs of a really exceptional vintage. A look back on this unique year. By end of March, the situation in the vineyard showed an early vintage, among the warmest in recent years. Since October of 2014, the rain accumulation was very high; the growing season started and the soils benefited from good water reserves. In the spring, the good weather came and the wines grew up really fast. The sanitary conditions were excellent and the flowering consistent. Temperatures of June and July were unusually hot; the grapes resisted well to these summer conditions thanks to the good supply of water. A cooler August followed with providential rainfall. September alternated between good weather and intermittent rainfall which prevented the vintage from being too early. In Gigondas, harvesting spread over from the 10th of September to the 15th of October. Winemaking was easy to make as is often the case in excellent vintages. This vintage gives us balanced and elegant wines, an expressing and aromatic freshness, elegant and silky tannins. The Gigondas 2015 s will have a great cellaring potential. Particularly unique, 2015 vintage will be remembered in the Rhône Valley history as one of the best of the past 8 years: 2007.

8 Maison du Gigondas 8 rue du fond du sac, Gigondas Tel. : +33 (0) Fax : +33 (0) Contact : Deborah PERRIN +33 (0) promotion@gigondas-vin.com Gigondas sur la toile : / Gigondaswines

Press Book Press Book

Press Book Press Book Press Book 2014 2018 Gigondas, Cru des Côtes-du-rhône Right in the middle of the triangle making up the towns of Carpentras, Orange and Vaison-la-Romaine is the village of Gigondas. Once known as «Jucunditas»