Quick and Easy..."93" Pt Gigondas

 

 

 

I predict “93” Points/Highly Recommended-WS

 

A (6) Case of the 2005 Perrin & Fils “La Gille” Gigondas $162.00

 

This one’s another strong candidate for the “Top 100 Wines of 2008” list...

 

Gazing into the magical & mystical future vision provided by my annual subscription to the Wine Spectator’s September 30th “Sneak Preview for the trade” issue my peepers lock onto the top three (Highly Recommended) wines of the issue.  The first scores “94” points ($62), the second matches the first with “94” ($65) while the third, the 2005 Perrin et Fils Gigondas “La Gille” nails a “93” with a price-point of less than half at $27.

 

The wine is also top rated by Parker and Tanzer...

 

Gigondas is a small village in France’s Rhone River Valley.  This quaint artist colony lies between Vacqueyras and Sablet at the bottom of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountains and can trace its history to the Roman times with extensive tangible proof laying around the place like polished battle axes, goofy hats and bronze-age furniture (which isn’t very comfortable to sit on).  The 11th century Saint Catherine’s church, with its central clock tower flanked by the campanile belfry and old sundial are well photographed icons of Gigondas as are the ruins of the Castle of the Princes of Orange.  Apparently, the little town is “run amok” with modern sculpture crafted by self-appointed artists from both Europe and the “New World”.

 

Nothing rhymes with Orange...

 

Gigondas was a “Seigneurie” of the principality of Orange and to the north of the village, on the road up to the Dentelles Montmirail; the ancient Chappelle Sts-Come-ET-Damien extends up out of the forest on a hilltop, giving an added, eerie medieval feeling to the area.  I think they filmed that wacked-out Roman Polanski-Johnny Depp movie “The Ninth Gate” around Gigondas which is a nightmare inducing, spooky and extremely weird flick.

 

What about the wine?

 

Perrin’s 10.5 hectares (26 acres) Gigondas Vineyards are leased and managed by the Beaucastel team.  The vineyards lay 15 kliks to the west of the town of Orange, between the Dentelles and the River Ouveze, a tributary of the Rhone.  There’s also an old half acre of pre-phylloxera vines harvested separately.  Perrin’s Gigondas “La Gille” 2005 is 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah.  The juice receives its extraction and complexity through multiple daily pump-overs rather than punch-downs.  Perrin describes the wine as “deep in color with a velvety aspect; the nose is reminiscent of red fruit jams with a mineral and earthy tone; generous and powerful, robust and distinguished with firm, integrated tannins.”

 

The Spectator says “93 Points/Highly Recommended...Dark and smoky, with alluring cocoa powder, mesquite and bacon fat notes leading the way for rich black currant, melted licorice and espresso.  The long, smoldering finish shows a nice wild side.  Impressive now but better with some cellaring.  Grenache and Syrah; now-2014”.

 

Parker agrees...”90 Points...Perrin ET Fils also produces two cuvees of Gigondas.  Their basic cuvee, which is close to 100% Grenache aged in both tank and foudres, is called “La Gille”.  The 2005 offers plenty of kirsch liqueur, licorice and crushed rocks and has an elegant minerality, medium body and a Burgundian-like flavor and aromatic profile.”

 

As does Tanzer...”89 Points...Bright red; smoky raspberry and strawberry on the nose, with a wild component of cured meat; bitter cherry and ripe red berry flavors are complicated by Garrigue and pepper notes.  Finishes with chewy tannins and a cherry pit flavor.”

 

2005 Perrin & Sons Gigondas “La Gille” $162.00/Case of 6