Domaine les Pallieres Gigondas Racines 2020
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Suckling
James - Vinous
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Dunnuck
Jeb
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Blend: 80% Grenache, 8% Syrah, 7% Cinsault, 5% Clairette
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Enormously deep and powerful, but the full and fine tannins hold this mighty ship on course straight into the sunset. Great forest-berry aromas, but at the finish the wild-herb character expands and expands. Excellent aging potential! A blend of 80% grenache, 8% syrah, 7% cinsault and 5% clairette.
Range: 95-96 -
Vinous
Shimmering ruby-red. The bouquet evokes pungent cherry, dark berry, floral, licorice, black tea and smoky mineral aromas. Youthfully taut bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors show excellent depth, and a spicy touch of cracked pepper sharpens the back half. Subtly chewy tannins build on a very long, penetrating finish that leaves bitter chocolate and candied lavender notes behind.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Gigondas Les Racines comes from the oldest vines of the estate, which are located slightly lower down on the slope, around the winery, and consist of more clay soils. This cuvée is a similar blend of 80% Grenache and the balance Cinsault and Syrah. Red and black fruits, peppery herbs, and spicy notes define this solid 2020, and it's medium to full-bodied, with fine tannins and a seamless mouthfeel. It's not a blockbuster but has terrific purity and elegance. It too is perfect for drinking over the coming 10-12 years. Best After 2023
Other Vintages
2021- Vinous
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Dunnuck
Jeb
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Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb
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Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb
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Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Spectator
Wine
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Parker
Robert -
Suckling
James -
Dunnuck
Jeb -
Spectator
Wine
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Suckling
James -
Spectator
Wine -
Parker
Robert
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Parker
Robert -
Spectator
Wine
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Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine -
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Robert
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Wine
Domaine Les Pallières is undeniably one of the greatest, longest-running properties of the Southern Rhône—outside the village of Gigondas, woven into the foothills of the beautiful and brooding Dentelles de Montmirail. The domaine had been a continuously running farm within the same family since the fifteenth century! Les Pallières was once a famous domaine with wines of impeccable character, yet the property had slowly fallen into disrepair. Two great frosts of the twentieth century had killed off many of the olive and fruit trees, and both the winery and the vineyards were badly in need of repairs. By 1998, the Roux brothers wanted to make a change. With no future successors to take their place, they decided to sell.
The Brunier brothers, Daniel and Frédéric, of the famed Vieux Télégraphe in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, were rising stars in the Southern Rhône at the time, having distinguished themselves time and time again with world class wines. A casual discussion over lunch at Chez Panisse between Daniel and Kermit Lynch, the Brunier’s longtime American importer, spontaneously turned into a game plan to revive the faded jewel—Les Pallières. Though the competition to buy the domaine was fierce with very reputable names in the mix, the Roux brothers finally decided to sell to the Bruniers and Kermit. After decades of neglect, Pallières’ renaissance had begun.
A focus on the terroir and its potential soon led to a clear, new direction. The vineyards range from 250-400 meters in altitude, with varying proportions of sand and clay interwoven with limestone scree descending from the Dentelles. Terraces were built and reinforced, allowing for better water retention. A new winery was built to receive the harvested parcels individually in gravity-fed tanks. The many lieux-dits, once blended into one cuvée of Gigondas, have been separated into two, starting with the 2007 vintage, in an effort to best express two remarkable personalities. Cuvée “Terrasse du Diable,” encompasses the low-yielding vines from the higher altitudes that express great structure and intense minerality. Cuvée “Les Racines” showcases the vineyard parcels surrounding the winery—the origin of the domaine with the oldest vines—with the emphasis on freshness and extravagant cornucopian fruit.
Domaine Les Pallières has become a partnership among friends, a real meeting of the minds—a creative collaboration of three leading, passionate experts on the wines of the Rhône.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
The Southern Rhône region of Gigondas extends northwest from the notably jagged wall of mountains called the Dentelles di Montmirail, whose highest point climbs to about 2,600 feet. The region and its wines have much in common with the neighboring Chateauneuf-du-Pape except that the vineyards of Gigondas exist at higher elevation and its soils, comprised mainly of crumbled limestone from the Dentelles, often produce a more dense and robust Grenache-based red wine.
The region has a history of fine winemaking, extending back to Roman times. But by the 20th century, Gigondas was merely lumped into the less distinct zone of Côtes du Rhône Villages. However, it was first among these satellite villages to earn its own appellation, which occurred in 1971.
Gigondas reds must be between 50 to 100% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre comprising the bulk of the remainder of the blend. They tend express rustic flavors and aromas of wild blackberry, raspberry, fig, plum, as well as juniper, dried herbs, anise, smoke and river rock. The best are bold but balanced, and finish with impressively sexy and velvety tannins.
The Gigondas appellation also produces rosé but no white wines.