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Clos des Tourelles is the only remaining Clos in Gigondas and has a history that goes back to the mid-1600s. Produced with 95% Grenache and a noticeable dollop of oak, the full bodied rich tannic palate is lifted by fresh menthol. It will need a few years to open up properly. This is the Perrin’s second vintage of this wine and I expect we will hear more about it in the future.
Sara Guiducci, Private Account Manager
The old winery has nearly been completely restored, its eponymous monastic towers giving the village a renewed identity, the large new foudres bestowing upon the wine the best possible up-bringing. 80% is Grenache and the balance is shared between the usual suspects. Blackberry, bay and laurel are evidenced; sui generis and yet wonderfully refined, this is the style which will allow Gigondas, before too long, to rival Châteauneuf-du-Pape as the top village in the region.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer
The adoption of new nomenclature, complete with smart new crested labels, runs deeper than skilful marketing, reflecting as it does the fact that the Perrins are more than merely an up-market négociant. The partnerships cultivated are far more than that and actual ownership now extends to an impressive three hundred hectares, each one afforded the same oraganic treatment as at Beaucastel itself. The increased emphasis on the villages of Vinsobres and, in particular, Gigondas, has helped to elevate the reputations of both greatly.La Famille Perrin
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The 2011 Gigondas Clos des Tourelles, which is mostly Grenache but shows unmistakable crushed chalk minerality, is dense ruby/purple, backward, full and tannic. The structure of this wine suggests forgetting it for at least another 2-3 years, and drinking it over the following decade or more.
As I said last year, the Perrin family is a large one indeed, with brothers Jean-Pierre and Francois sitting at the top of the hierarchy and their four sons, Mathieu, Pierre, Thomas and Marc increasingly taking charge of their negociant business and their extensive estates throughout Southern Rhone. Now controlling over 1200 acres, as well as having a network of contracts, this operation is the equivalent of a major Southern Rhone train operating at high speed. Moreover, they are doing some incredible work in all price ranges. Other 2011s that the Perrin boys have produced include the following wines, which were very good across the board, especially for 2011s. In particular, readers need to take a hard look at their estate in Vinsobres, which is making the finest wines of that appellation, and more recently, what they are doing in Gigondas with the estate they purchased there, Clos des Tourelles. These are special wines. There are now three cuvees of Gigondas from the Perrins - the Gigondas La Gille, the Gigondas Vieilles Vignes and the Gigondas Clos des Tourelles. All three merit serious attention. Tasting the 2010s, which were all set to go into bottle right after my visit, certainly shows that this vintage is impressive, although I'm not sure that Marc and Pierre Perrin haven't done as good a job with their selections in 2011. Three cuvees of Gigondas look to all have outstanding potential and will probably be in bottle by the time this report is published.
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #204, Dec 2012
