2015 Gigondas La Louisiane

The 2015 Gigondas Cuvee Louisiane comes from a site located just beside the domaine, which is a mix of clay and sandy soils. Aged all in foudre, it boasts terrific notes of framboise, spring flowers, black raspberries and orange blossom (which I normally find more in the Les Souteyrades release). This full-bodied, deep, layered 2015 has a big mid-palate, is impeccably balanced and shows the purity and finesse that’s common in the vintage.

Opaque ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of candied red and dark berries, incense and smoky minerals, joined by a slowly emerging floral note. Juicy, broad and energetic on the palate, offering intense raspberry, cherry and spicecake flavors and a suggestion of candied flowers. Finishes sweet, lively and youthfully tannic, delivering superb, spice- and mineral-driven persistence.

My pick of the cuvees in 2015 is the 2015 Gigondas La Louisiane, a blend of 80% Grenache, 15% Mourvedre and the rest Cinsault and Syrah. From south-facing slopes of red clay and sand, this shows incredible detail in its aromas of garrigue and raspberries, then folds in richer notes of dark chocolate. This is full-bodied and velvety in feel, with just a hint of warmth on the finish. It should drink well for a decade, possibly longer. Oct 2017, www.robertparker.com