2014 Excellence Gigondas

The not yet bottled 2014 Gigondas Excellence is even better, with additional depth, density and length, and I suspect it’s certainly one of the gems in the vintage. New saddle leather, garrigue, Provencal herbs and impressive amounts of sweet red and black fruits give way to a medium to full-bodied, ripe, yet still fresh and lively 2014 that will benefit from a year or two in bottle.

Brilliant ruby. Dark berries and peppery spices on the fragrant nose. Chewy and focused on the palate, offering bitter cherry and boysenberry flavors given spine by juicy acidity. Shows good depth and grip on the finish, which lingers with subtle warmth and mounting tannins.

Tasted blind. Cask sample. Rather more elements to this wine than most. Some spicy ripe fruit on the nose. Very sweet palate entry. Juicy fruit with some fine tannins on the end. Far from a typical Gigondas but should be a nice drink. (JR)