Les Pallieres Gigondas Terrasse du Diable 2022

ripe cherries, red licorice, dried figs, fennel seed and black peppercorns

This property is jointly owned by the Brunier family, owners of Vieux Télégraphe, and Kermit Lynch. They bought the estate in 1998 at a time when it had been ignored for years and the vines were barely producing wine. However, the Brunier’s knew the history of the estate and considered it the grand cru of the Gigondas appellation. With Kermit’s joint investment they renovated the estate, improved the vineyards and today are seen as one of the most dynamic estates in the Southern Rhône Valley.

They produce two cuvées from this estate, Les Racines, from vines near the winery, and this, which is sourced from old vines at higher elevations. Production is very traditional with long skin contact, aging in neutral oak for 2 years, and bottling without filtration. I find this wine on par with the single vineyard bottlings of St. Cosme at 1/3rd the price. Also, for those who tire of the high alcohol of Châteauneuf-du-Pape but want the flavor of the Southern Rhône, Gigondas is the place to buy.