Gigondas Clos Derriere Vieille, Santa Duc

Great complexity on the nose with notes of thyme, rosemary, preserved lemon and red berries. Extremely elegant with lots of mountain freshness alongside the southerly ripeness. Very structured and clean at the long focused finish. A cuvee of 80% grenache, 10% mourvedre and 10% syrah growing on limestone marl at an altitude of 300-350 meters above sea level. 75% whole bunch. Matured in a combination of Stockinger oak foudre and clay amphora.

Deep magenta. A deeply perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, incense and licorice; a floral nuance builds as the wine opens up. Sweet, concentrated raspberry, boysenberry, candied lavender and Moroccan spice flavors become livelier as the wine stretches out. It displays sharp definition and an emphatic, spicy cut on an impressively long, floral-driven finish shaped by supple, well-judged tannins. - Josh Raynolds

mild red robe; the bouquet expresses intensity of red berry fruit, prolongs with a sure depth, has a rather Burgundian take, a Pinote angle to it. The palate serves a savoury, rolling run of red-fruited content, extends surely, has a cluster of very snug, gummy tannin on the finish. There’s a little note of stewing in the fruit from the sun rays, a sweet, low-key floral opulence that forms a centre piece for it. This has definite, only partly declared, inner concentration, the Pinot effect again apparent on the palate. The very long aftertaste resumes on a local note of mineral. This is extremely elegant, well drawn. - John Livingstone-Learmonth

Palate coating fruit and very fine tannins in abundance. A highly structural wine, where the acidity, tannin and alcohol are really to the fore, the fruit buried within. I expect it to take on fruit weight over time however and grow into the structure. Full-bodied, fresh, textural and highly fragrant. Co-planted on limestone marls behind the village. 60% whole bunch, aged in Stockinger foudres except for 20% that is aged in terracotta amphorae.

Likørpræget, intens næse med kultiveret sødme. Mørk, ultraren og sprød frugt med lakrids, rosiner og svesker. Glimrende mineralitet, nydelig sødme og duft med betydelig koncentration og fornem balance. Ungdommelig, tæt, frisk og rig smag. Allerede afrundet, charmerende og lettilgængelig og med udmærket rigdom. Fornem tanninstruktur, elegant syrebalance og diskret sødme. Vellykket. Kraftfuld på den kultiverede facon.

This is very full-bodied and concentrated. A solid, hefty style, deep rooted and centred with orange peel, pomegranate and raspberry. It’s powerful and energetic with muscular tannins though still fresh. It will impress in time. Biodynamically-grown on calcareous marl from Cretaceous period, all destemmed, spends 18 months in recent 3,600l Stockinger barrels and 8,00l amphorae.

A blend of 80% Grenache and 10% each Mourvèdre and Syrah, all grown in a limestone-rich clos, the 2018 Gigondas Clos Derriere Vieille is floral and resinously herbal, with stemmy notes accenting mixed berries. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky and ripe yet vibrant, with ample complexity allied to admirable acid-tannin balance. It should drink well for up to a decade. - Joe Czerwinski

While the other 2017s include 30% to 40% whole clusters, the cooler, later-picked 2017 Gigondas Clos Derriere Vieille includes 60% whole clusters. Rose petal, pomegranate and cherry notes abound, carried on a full-bodied but silky palate that's fine and elegant but concentrated and intense, with plenty of length on the finish. - Joe Czerwinski

Bright ruby-red. A complex, highly perfumed bouquet evokes ripe red/blue fruit, Moroccan spice and potpourri aromas that are enlivened by a vibrant mineral quality that builds as the wine stretches out. Sweet, seamless and expansive in the mouth, offering densely packed raspberry, boysenberry, floral pastille and spicecake flavors that show outstanding clarity and back-end thrust. The mineral and floral notes drive an extremely long, sappy finish, shaped by smooth, polished tannins. - Josh Raynolds

Lurid ruby. Sexy, highly perfumed aromas of Chambord, potpourri, garrigue and Asian spices carry an intense mineral overtone. Impressively concentrated, seamless and penetrating on the palate, offering densely packed raspberry liqueur, cherry pastry and floral pastille flavors that put on weight with air while maintaining vivacity. The floral quality repeats emphatically on the gently tannic finish, which clings with serious tenacity and appealing sweetness. - Josh Raynolds

Less garrigue-laden than some of the other Gigondas bottlings at this domaine, the full-bodied 2016 Gigondas Clos Derriere Vieille is rich, ripe and fruit-driven, offering fresh berries and cherries that pick up lovely hints of roses and tea leaves on the long, silky finish. - Joe Czerwinski

Deep ruby. Ripe raspberry, cherry liqueur, violet and a hint of garrigue on the deeply perfumed nose. Fleshy, appealingly sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering plush red and blue fruit flavors and a subtle note of candied licorice that builds in the glass. Becomes more energetic with air and finishes on a sweet red berry note, showing powerful thrust, harmonious tannins and impressive persistence. - Josh Raynolds

Full ruby. An assertively perfumed bouquet evokes ripe raspberry and boysenberry and carries subtle background notes of game and lavender. Plush and expansive in the mouth, offering juicy blue fruit and floral pastille flavors given spine by zesty acidity. The floral and game notes drive a very long, gently tannic finish that features a subtle touch of white pepper. - Josh Raynolds