2022 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes

Another ripe, sexy, exuberant Gigondas, the 2022 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes reveals a vibrant ruby/purple hue as well as youthful aromatics of black raspberries, sandalwood, ground pepper, and herbes de Provence-like nuances. This sunny, medium to full-bodied 2022 has sweet tannins, a supple, elegant mouthfeel, and a great finish. It's a beautiful wine in the vintage that I suspect will drink nicely over the coming decade.

Tardieu-Laurent's 2022 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes exhales an oaky, earthy bouquet of pepper, oak, spices and tobacco. Medium to full-bodied, it's dense and concentrated with a rich, dense and ripe mid-palate and structured tannins, concluding with a spicy, oaky finish. This blend of 90% Grenache, 5% Mourvèdre and 5% Syrah was matured for 10 months in new and one-year-old barrels, followed by 12 months in foudres. While it’s a muscular, rich Gigondas, it leans too oaky for my taste, but remains well-executed.

90% Grenache, 5% Mourv è dre, 5% Syrah. Three-quarters whole bunch. Aged for 10 months in one- and two-year-old oak barrels, followed by 12 months in foudres. Cask sample. Tasted blind. Liquorice and dark fruits on the nose. The palate is rich and rounded, with firm tannins and a pencil-lead note throughout. Dense and rich, with forward oak and tannins that really need time to settle. There is some fleshy, sweet fruit beneath the dense tannic backbone. (AC)