Notre dame des pallières gigondas les mourres – sustainable
Domaine Notre Dame des Pallières is a very old family estate, whose name comes from a place of pilgrimage visited by the Provençal people in the middle ages who believed that the fountain on the property would protect them from the plague.
Claude Roux and his cousin Jean-Pierre have so many generations of Gigondas wine-making experience in their family that they don’t know exactly how many of their relatives have been involved up to now – Antique writings suggest that this Domain existed in the 900’s. Fortunately, this tradition is continuing with Claude’s children, Isabelle and Julien, gradually taking over the day to day responsibilities of farming, production, and administration.
Vineyard holdings total 74 acres in Gigondas, Sablet, and Cotes du Rhone.
When asked about their methods, they smile and explain that they are simply following the traditional methods of the family members that came before them.
Les Mourres is a sub-appellation site sitting in the shadows of the famed Dentilles de Montmirail.
A gorgeous blend of 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvedre, made from a selection of more than 100-year-old vines – offers darker plummy, berry, and cassis style fruit as well as classic undertones of new leather, garrigue, and peppery spice. Ripe, full-bodied, and deep on the palate, it’s a beautifully balanced, sexy red. It’s a stunning value!
93 points, Jeb Dunnuck: “The 2019 Gigondas Les Mourres is more Provençal and up-front, with straight-up charming notes of red and black fruits, saddle leather, lavender, ground pepper and garrigue just about jumping out of the glass. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it’s soft and forward, has ripe tannins, and is about as satisfying as they come. It should keep for 10-15 years on its impeccable balance. The blend of this cuvée is 80% Grenache and 10% each of Syrah and Mourvèdre, from older vines, and was 80% destemmed and brought up in concrete tanks and foudre. I love it.”
92 points, Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate: Matured in a combination of concrete tanks (80%) and foudres (20%), the 2018 Gigondas les Mourres is a full-bodied blend of 80% Grenache and 10% each Mourvedre and Syrah. Dark-fruited and ripe, it delivers black cherries and plums, cola and spice on the nose, supple tannins on the palate and a lingering, silky finish tinged with anise and mocha. Note that the designation, les Mourres,” appears only on the back label.