2015 Gigondas Les Hautes Garriges

Unfined, the sample of the 2015 Gigondas Les Hautes Garrigues was wonderfully fragrant, redolent of flowering garrigue and red raspberries, but it also was brutally tannic and hard on the finish, making it difficult to evaluate.

Full ruby. Smoke-accented aromas of red and dark berry liqueur, incense, spicecake and candied flowers show outstanding energy and clarity. Sweet, seamless and broad in the mouth, offering concentrated black raspberry, boysenberry and lavender pastille flavors that fan out steadily with air. Rich but nervy and precise as well, carrying no excess fat. Velvety tannins frame an extremely long, incisive finish that leaves behind notes of sweet dark berries and candied flowers.

65% Grenache, 35% Mourvèdre. 100% destemmed and vinified in stainless steel. Matured for 10 months in foudre. Cask sample. Tasted blind. Deep crimson. So dense it is not yielding much on the nose. Very sweet and opulent in texture with some gaminess on the finish. Dramatic red wine! There is arguably more winemaking than vineyard in here but it’s an attractive package. Tannins quite insistent for the moment. (JR)