2016 Gour de Chaulé "Cuvée Tradition" Gigondas

Vivid ruby. An exotically perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and pit fruits, potpourri and garrigue, and an exotic spice note emerges in the glass. Stains the palate with sweet raspberry, cherry and lavender pastille flavors that steadily put on weight with air. Conveys a suave blend of power and finesse and finishes extremely long and floral, with fine-grained tannins lending discreet grip. (JR) (2/2020)

Still in a combination of concrete tanks and wooden foudres, the 2016 Gigondas Cuvee Tradition is relatively muted on the nose but shows enormous fruit on the palate, giving up notes of cherries and stone fruit. My raw notes even ask the question: "Maybe, maybe too much fruit?" As an aside, is that even possible? This big, fruit-driven wine lacks a bit of nuance at this stage, but it is enjoyable and no doubt will develop some additional complexity with bottle age. (JC) (8/2018)

Established in 1900 in the heart of Gigondas, Gour de Chaule is now run by the founder's great-granddaughter, Stephanie Fumoso. This is a female driven property as Stephanie's grandmother and mother were both actively involved in making the wines and establishing the property's domaine bottlings. The estate is comprised of 15 hecatares planted in the surrounding region, 10 of which are within the appellation of Gigondas. Grenache is the main grape variety, making up about 80+% of the blend with Syrah and Mourvedre making up the rest. Grapes are harvested manually and never destemmed. Elevage is in large oak foudres where the wine rests for about 18 months when it is bottled unfined and unfiltered. The end result is a traditionally made and balanced wine that reflects some of the best that Gigondas has to offer.