2010 Gigondas Les Hautes Garriges

Up there with the best of the appellation and easily my favorite vintage to date, the 2010 Domaine Santa Duc Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues (80% old vine Grenache, 15% Mourvedre, 3% Syrah, and 2% Cinsault aged all in foudre) is a powerful, yet elegant Gigondas that oozes class and poise. Showing brilliantly pure aromas of blackberry, violets, garrigue, saddle leather, and mineral on the nose, this full-bodied 2010 is perfectly balanced, possesses layers fruit, a seamless, silky texture, and blockbuster length on the finish. While incredibly fresh and elegant, there is still a fair dose of tannin to integrate, so give bottles a handful of years to round into shape. It should drink well for two decades or more.

(80% grenache and 20% mourvedre, raised in used foudres): Vivid purple. Pungent, heady aromas of black and blue fruits, potpourri and incense, with a strong Indian spice quality gaining strength with air. Palate-staining blackberry and boysenberry flavors show impressive depth, with a zesty mineral providing lift. The finish echoes the spicy note and lingers with excellent tenacity. This very complex Gigondas offers a striking blend of power and vivacity.

Black. Lots of sweetness and gas, very embryonic. Chewy. Without much of a core really. Too cool? Very much its own style. (JR)