2015 Gigondas

A wine readers need to snatch up is the 2015 Gigondas as it way over-delivers and is up with the finest examples of the classic Gigondas made. Based on 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 14% Syrah and a splash of Cinsault, aged in 15% new barrels, it boasts terrific notes of sweet cassis and black raspberry fruits, garrigue, toasted spices and pepper. With full-bodied richness, beautiful sweetness of fruit and an opulent, sexy texture, it will drink nicely for 10-15 years. Oct 2017, www.jebdunnuck.com

How good was the 2015 vintage at this flagship estate of Gigondas? This entry-level red earned a classic 95 points, offering brawny flavors and incredible energy, paired with complexity and elegance. Owner and winemaker Louis Barruol, a passionate champion of his village, reports that 2015 was an ideal vintage, where the fruit was of high quality even from the estate’s younger vines. He produces this cuvée with 70 percent Grenache, 15 percent Mourvèdre, 14 percent Syrah and a smidge of Cinsault. He ferments whole clusters and then ages the wine in a mix of new and used oak casks and concrete vats. A textbook version of the brawny side of Gigondas, this offers a grippy alder bass line underneath layers of dark currant and fig fruit, while lots of tobacco, rosemary and bay leaf fill in throughout. Muscular and energetic, this is built for the cellar. Nov 2017, www.winespectator.com, Drink: 2019-2030

A medium to full-bodied blend of 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre raised in a combination of concrete, foudres and barriques, the 2015 Gigondas offers lovely spice and garrigue notes, dark fruit and a long, dry finish. It's a classic introduction to the appellation. Oct 2017, www.robertparker.com