THE WINE ADVOCATE – DOMAINE LES PALLIÈRES 2017 & 2018 – JOE CZERWINSKI
Les Racines rouge 2017
93-95. Despite being riper and more concetrated than the Terrasse du Diable bottling, the 2017 Gigondas Les Racines shares a similarly edgy structure. Potent raspberry fruit is delivered on a full-bodied, richly textured palate that finishes crisp and a bit jagged. Give it a couple of years in the cellar, and it should be fine for drinking over the next 10 years.
Terrasse du Diable rouge 2017
91-93. From a cool sute at 300-400 meters above sea level, the 2017 Gigondas Terrasse du Diable is a blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre. It boasts knockout aromas of ciolets, garrigue and purple raspberries, with an undercurrent of black cherries. It’s full-bodied and concentrated, with bright, crunchy acids. The overall impression is of a wine with sharper edges that the harmonious 2016 or 2018. Cellar it a couple of years and then enjoy it over the following decade.
Les Racines rouge 2018
95-97. The precise blend for this cuvée hadn’t been finalized at the time of my visit, so the sample I tasted of 2018 Gigondas Les Racines was an approximation put together by the team at the estate. Marked by accents of blodd orange and citrus zest, the raspberry fruit at the core of this wine is concentrated and ripe. Full-bodied and rich, yet silky, fine and elegant, it’s a classic representation of this microclimate and its 75-year-old Grenache vines.
Terrasse du Diable rouge 2018
93-95. The 2018 Gigondas Terrasse du Diable comes from yields that ended up being approximately hald of the average for the estate (only 11 hectoliters per hectare). It’s full-bodied, with a rich yet silky texture, ripe flavors of cherries and raspberries and a long finish that hints at clove and licorice. The exact blend for the domaine’s wines was yet to be finalized when I tasted this sample, but historically, this cuvée is about 85% Grenache and 15% Mourvèdre.
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