2016 Domaine Saint-Damien "La Louisiane" Gigondas
SKU #1398794
96 points
Jeb Dunnuck
Deeply colored, the 2016 Gigondas La Louisiane comes from single vineyard on the lower plain, not far from the estate, and is 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and the balance Syrah and Cinsault. It offers a classic bouquet of dark berry fruits, peppery herbs, garrigue, and obvious minerality. Reminding me of the 2010 with its pure, straight style, it’s full-bodied and elegant on the palate, and is going to benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age.
(9/2018)
95 points
Wine Enthusiast
Located on the terraced hillsides of Gigondas, the vineyard site La Louisiane boasts Grenache vines that are nearly 80 years old. This is a powerful, intoxicating wine meshing rich black cherry and berry flavors against a sheen of crushed-stone minerality. It’s voluminous but not dense, finishing on chalky, gripping tannins. Beautiful already but should improve through 2028, hold a few years further. *Editors’ Choice* (AI)
(12/2018)
94 points
Wine Advocate
The 2016 Gigondas La Louisiane is looking a bit more structured and tannic than it did last year. It's full-bodied, rich and creamy across the mid-palate, then firms up adding hints of licorice and chocolate along the way. It does have the ripe stone fruit and berry notes to sustain it over time, so give it a couple of years (maybe even four or five) to relax and unwind that tightness on the finish. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. Drink 2022-2030. (JC)
(8/2018)
93 points
Vinous
Shimmering ruby. Displays powerful raspberry, boysenberry and exotic spice qualities on the perfumed nose, along with expanding garrigue and mineral notes. Sappy and penetrating on the palate, offering bitter cherry, red/blue fruit liqueur, lavender and licorice flavors that steadily turn sweeter on the back half. Finishes very long and smooth, with rounded tannins framing lingering red fruit and floral notes. (JR)
(2/2020)
