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What We Say 2008 Gigondas
EXCLUSIVE WINE ALERT:
Through a very special arrangement, we are able to bring you this Gigondas, one of the highest rated of the vintage, which is generally not imported into the U.S. Market. If you are a fan of Rhone classics, this is a wine that you’ll truly enjoy at your next tasting.
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Mission Codename: Lacy Finesse
Operative: Agent White
Objective: Acquire an exclusive allocation of a very special Gigondas for our operatives
Mission Status: Accomplished!
Current Winery: Domaine Pierre-Henri Morel
Wine Subject: 2008 Gigondas AOC
Winemaker: Pierre-Henri Morel
Backgrounder: The Gigondas AOC is located just across the river from the famed Chateauneuf-du-Pape appellation and adjacent to the famed villages of Lirac and Tavel. Under the watchful eye of the dramatically rugged Dentelles de Montmirail, known for its lacy look and not teeth as most visitors assume (Dentelle means lace, dents means teeth in French).
The wines of Gigondas must be made with no more than 85% Grenache, at least 15% of Syrah and Mourvedre with the remainder being no more than 10% of any local grape except Carignan. Today exceptional wine, from Pierre-Henri Morel, is 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre and 5% Syrah.
Through a very special arrangement, we are able to bring you an exclusive allocation of this highly rated wine that is generally not imported into the United States.
Wine Spies Tasting Profile:
Look – Lovely dark garnet with a dense clear heart that shows ruby streaks. Along the edges, the color lightens slightly to a deep and beautiful ruby red. When swirled, randomly spaced thin legs ring the glass and race down to the wine below.
Smell – Medium in intensity with balanced aromas of spiced red cherry and other briary fruit. Notes of savory herbs, black tea and exotic spice and restrained woody notes. A touch of dried fruit also emerges as you explore this wine.
Feel – Smooth and supple, this medium-to-full bodied dry wine expands softly over the palate with its well rounded tannins. Its spice and lively acidity appear at mid palate along with a smoothly textured mineral feeling that lasts into the finish.
Taste – Smooth a restrained flavors of red and black fruit including cherry, plum, currants and blackberry mix with peppery, savory and exotic spice and soft dried herbal notes. A touch of earthy minerals and soft oak frame the flavors very well.
Finish – Very smooth, long and exceptionally clean with this wine’s fruit lingering over the other complex flavors for a minute or two before fading away leaving only a softly texture mineral feel on the palate.
Conclusion – The 2008 Domaine Pierre-Henri Morel Gigondas shows great finesse and elegance. Beautiful red fruit indicative of the Grenache with restrained complexity from the nose all the way through to the finish. An elegant wine that is also easily enjoyed. Enjoy this wine tonight or cellar for up to four to five years. We paired this lovely Gigondas with aged hard cheeses and savory dried meats.
Mission Report:
We are working to get an interview with the winemaker and will post it as soon as we can.
Wine Spies Vineyard Check:
The location of the the Gigondas AOC in France’s southern Rhone can be seen in this satellite photo.
What the Winery Says
Domaine Pierre-Henri Morel
Awards & Accolades:
91 Points – Wine Spectator – Very juicy, with damson plum, blackberry and black currant fruit mingling with mulled spice and black tea hints. The silky finish has fine definition and length. Not imported into the U.S. (Agent White’s comment: oh really?) Drink now through 2013. 400 cases made.
About The Wine:
Characteristic aromas of very ripe red and black fruit with spicy overtones and garrique notes. We appreciate this wine with lamb cutlets with stir-fried chanterelles.
TASTING NOTES: Intense garnet-red. Elegant aromas of black cherries, red-fruit jam and pepper. Aromas of very ripe red and black fruit with spicy overtones and garrique notes.
GRAPE VARIETIES: Mainly Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvèdre varieties.
SOIL: Its formation is spread out from the Secondary to the Quaternary Periods. The soil is particularly varied. It is made of marl, limestone, clay and sand. Te wine comes from the blending of plots which are located on high and medium height terraces made of alluvial or alluvial soils.
HARVESTING: Because of soil diversity and altitude, harvests last from 3 to 4 weeks.
WINEMAKING: Vinifcations are carried out in the traditional way in concrete vats. Vat times are particularly long (between 3 and 4 weeks) with daily pumping over.
MATURING: Wine is mainly aged in concrete vats (with a less important part) in 600 litre barrels.Bottling takes place 12 to 18 months later.
About The Winery:
Founded in 2007 by Michel Chapoutier and Pierre-Henri Morel, the winery produces high-end wines from the Southern Rhône Valley. Pierre-Henri Morel focuses on small parcels with great terroir identity to produce small volumes of high quality grenache, syrah and mourvèdre. The heart of the house is Châteauneuf-du-Pape where the winery owns 4 hectares (Pignan, Bois Dauphin, Cabrières and Palestor).
The wines are made by the Chapoutier’s team but in the spirit of what Mr Morel likes – in the Burgundy style…
Pierre Henri Morel produces five different wines, all from the south part of the Rhone Valley (Meridional part). Two Chateauneuf du Pape are produced along with a Gigondas, a Signargues and a Laudun white. The first Chateauneuf du Pape comes from old vines from the “Pignan” area – next to the famous “Rayas” parcel.
As of the Chapoutiers’s wines, the domaine started to farm these parcels in a natural way, without pesticides, added ingredients in order to reach the “bio” certification in a few years time.
One of the key fact of this domain is their wish to make wines that really respects the typical expression of some of the most beautiful parcels of vines in the Southern Rhone.
The result is simply astonishing with wines that are very precise and mineral – made really much in a Burgundian way.
All the wines are produced in very tiny quantities with no more than about 250 cases of each available every year. This is one of the most promising estates of the Rhone Valley.
Technical Analysis:
Varietals: 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 5% Syrah.
Alcohol: 14.5%
