Terrific Gigondas, which is becoming my favorite Rhone appellation. Beefy, structured and for a high alcohol wine, well balanced and smooth. Not bad for $32.

89-90

Dense, brooding wine with a nose of ripe fruit and some tar. Dark berry flavours. Concentrated, but also sort of simple.

This wine is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre and Cinsault with alcohol coming in at 14.5%. This blend opened up with aromas of blackberry, stewed plums, dried herbs and leathery notes. On the mouthfeel, medium-full bodied, little fruit, dried, firm structured with low acidity and dusty tannins. Medium length on the finish, earthy, smoky and spices flavours, dusty tannins and alcohol heat making its presence felt till the end. For me this is not one of their finest wines, from Château Du Trignon that I have had, a little unbalanced for me. This wine needed a little more acidity and a whole lot more fruit, but the aromatics were very sensuous.