WINE AGENCY
Moulin de la Gardette
Gigondas
Jean-Baptiste Meunier of Moulin de la Gardette and his friend Louis Barruol of St Cosme are the best vintners of Gigondas.
Moulin de la Gardette gained international recognition and top ratings by the best wine critics. The wines are the perfect example of what the greatest Grenache can deliver in the cooler climate of Gigondas.
Moulin de la Gardette is a small 10ha family owned property in Gigondas with vineyards stretching from the plateau close to the village to the foothills of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountains.
Most of vineyards face northwest, at elevations from 100m to 300m above sea level with soils that are a mixture of limestone and clay.
7ha are planted to Grenache and 3ha to other Southern Rhone varieties, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault. The average age of the vines is 50years, but the oldest plantings now date back over a hundred years.
The low average yield is only 27hl/ha. Since 2000, organic viticulture is employed with minimal use of copper and pesticides to enhance soil microbiological activity and express the best of La Gardette terroir.
Gigondas "Tradition"
80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 10% Cinsault.
Age of vines: 40 years.
Vinification: Grapes are handpicked, partially destemmed, vinified in cement tanks where a long post fermentation maceration takes place. The wine is aged for 18 months in 228 l Burgundy barrels. Light filtration is done just before bottling.
JEB DUNNUCK 93/100
"It boasts a deep purple color as well as full-bodied aromas and flavors of ground pepper, incense, garrigue, and assorted sweet black fruits. This rounded, sexy, seemless 2017 has polished tannins, a great mid-palate, and a finish that keeps you coming back to the glass. Drink this beauty anytime over the coming decade."
Matt WALLS 93/100
THE WINE ADVOCATE 93-96/100
Gigondas "Ventabren"
70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 10% Cinsault.
Age of vines: 80-100 years.
Vinification: Grapes are handpicked, partially destemmed, vinified in cement tanks where a long post fermentation maceration takes place. The wine is aged for 18 months in big foudres. Light filtration is done just before bottling.
DECANTER 96/100
"Beautiful natural expression of strawberry and raspberry with a juicy slick of crushed berries, ending with textural tannins. A perfectly balanced, joyful and drinkable 2017 Gigondas with incredible purity."
JEB DUNNUCK 95/100
"I loved the 2017 Ventabren and savvy readers should snatch this beauty up! Loads of Asian spices, herbes de Provence, new saddle leather, and sweet red and black fruit all flow to a medium-to-full-bodied, balanced, straight-up gorgeous 2017 that does everything right. Tasting like the essence of the South of France, it's already drinking beautifully but will keep over a decade."
THE WINE ADVOCATE 94-96/100
MATT WALLS 96/100