Domaine St Damien Gigondas Vieilles Vignes 2020

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"After tasting hundreds of 2020 Rhone wines last year, then again this year, it is now crystal clear that this is a great vintage for the region. The consistency of quality in 2020 is remarkable."
Stuart Pigott, JS Wine Ratings, May 2023.

This wine is a blend of 80% grenache and 20% mourvèdre. It was made using traditional methods, with fermentation carried out in lined concrete tanks, followed by extended maceration (5 weeks) and a further 12 months maturation in large oak (foudre). The idea behind this technique is that the concrete tanks allow retention of the natural fruit and mineral elements, while the large old oak allows the benefits of wood maturation without imparting an oaky character. The finished wine is 15% alcohol and sealed with cork.

“Looking at the Gigondas releases, the 2020 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes doesn’t give anything to the two single vineyard releases and offers awesome aromatics, full-bodied richness, a round, lush, yet pure mouthfeel, and ripe yet certainly present tannins. It’s loaded with Provençal, garrigue, and peppery goodness, and it’s going to be a brilliant value. This cuvée is an 80/20 split of Grenache and Mourvèdre raised all in foudre.”
95-97 points, Jeb Dunnuck, Jan 2022.

This is simply a great review, and a great price, for an entry level Gigondas. Indeed, it’s the only year I’ve seen the estate’s entry level Gigondas score better than the two more expensive single vineyards!

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Specifications