2011 Gigondas, Les Racines, Domaine Les Pallières, Vignobles Brunier, Rhône
Critics reviews
Les Pallieres, one of the iconic estates of Gigondas, is now owned (and has been reinvigorated) by the partnership of Vieux Telegraphe’s Daniel Brunier and the well-known American boutique wine importer, Kermit Lynch. Brunier and Lynch have done a fabulous job turning this estate around, and they continue to fine tune what is a complicated, cool climate, high altitude property where the harvest is usually two to three weeks after that of Vieux Telegraphe in Chateauneuf du Pape. As for the red wines, both of the cuvees produced are approximately 80% Grenache, with the Terrasse du Diable coming from vineyards planted at 300-900 meters and Les Racines from lower slopes where there is more clay and less decomposed limestone.
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #204, Dec 2012
Les Pallieres, one of the iconic estates of Gigondas, is now owned (and has been reinvigorated) by the partnership of Vieux Telegraphe’s Daniel Brunier and the well-known American boutique wine importer, Kermit Lynch. Brunier and Lynch have done a fabulous job turning this estate around, and they continue to fine tune what is a complicated, cool climate, high altitude property where the harvest is usually two to three weeks after that of Vieux Telegraphe in Chateauneuf du Pape. As for the red wines, both of the cuvees produced are approximately 80% Grenache, with the Terrasse du Diable coming from vineyards planted at 300-900 meters and Les Racines from lower slopes where there is more clay and less decomposed limestone.
Robert Parker, Wine Advocate #204, Dec 2012
About this WINE
Vieux Telegraphe
Vieux Télégraphe is one of the most renowned estates in the Southern Rhône. Blessed with the finest locations in the area on the famed La Crau plateau, there is an emphasis on terroir expression and natural winemaking. The Bruniers, who own the property, started their love affair with La Crau in 1898 and on which they now own 70ha. This plateau – a Grand Cru equivalent in Châteauneuf-du-Pape – is so reputed for several reasons. Firstly, its galets roules (pudding stones) that re-emit the heat of the sun, producing a warm microclimate ideal for even berry ripening. Beneath these lies a subsoil of clay, which counters excess heat by keeping the vines hydrated and cool. Finally, at 120m altitude, it sits higher than surrounding areas. This brings exposure to wind (notably the Mistral), which again keeps the vines cool and free from diseases (and occasionally frost).
In 2021, the domaine was lucky to have been spared the worst of the flash frost that hit the region in April. Pallières was slightly impacted, but Piedlong and La Crau both emerged unscathed. The family did, nonetheless, see a moderate drop in yield due to the rains, with Vieux Télégraphe down by about 30%. Winemaker Daniel Brunier describes the vintage as classic, breaking the long series of “solaire” vintages we’ve seen since 2015. The wines show freshness but the slow and complete ripening brought about by a later-than-usual harvest brought with it concentration of flavours and balance. Daniel believes the wines will produce some wonderful surprises throughout the course of their ageing.
Alongside their Châteauneuf properties, the Brunier family owns Domaine des Pallières in Gigondas – a mixed farming estate set within the Provençal Forest. There they were not impacted by the rains (or indeed frost) in the same way. Daniel is extremely proud of the vintage. He describes the wines as pure, linear, with more moderate levels of alcohol and showing great sophistication and balance. He believes his Racines to be one of the best he has ever made.
Gigondas
Gigondas has been renowned for the quality of its wines since Roman times, although it was not really until it was classified as a Côtes du Rhône Villages in 1966 that it began to realise its potential. It achieved AC status in 1971 and today produces some of the finest, most underrated and under-priced wines in the Rhône valley; although, for the last two of these at least, probably not for much longer.
Gigondas' 1,200-hectare of rugged vineyards are located east of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, beneath the famous mountains of Dentelles de Montmirail. Gigondas produces sumptuous, plummy reds with a good structure and a sprinkle of pepper. It is similar to (if a touch less slick than) good Châteauneuf-du-Pape which, at its best, it can challenge and even surpass.
Made with a maximum of 80 percent Grenache, combined with at least 15 percent Syrah and/or Mourvèdre, the rest can be made of any of the varieties authorized for Côtes du Rhône – apart from Carignan. The wines can normally be broached after two to three years, while the best repay ageing for 10 years or more. The region also produces dry, Grenache-dominated rosés which are good but can sometimes lack a little vitality.
Recommended Producer: La Bastide St Vincent, Domaine Montirius
Southern Rhône Blend
The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.
The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.
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Description
Les Pallières is one of the most magical vineyards I know, its beautiful natural amphitheatre rather reminding me of L’Ermita in Priorat. 150 hectares climb into the mist, with a chapel dedicated to Notre Dame de Grace and a modest château at its centre. All is still here as there is protection from the Mistral; yet the microclimate is cool as we are high up and the ripening season long, even in the lower vineyards where the older vines go to make up this cuvée. The blend is 80% Grenache and the balance, in order, shared between Syrah, Cinsault and old Clairette. Floral aromas invite us into a wine of wonderful freshness with notes of heather, peat and iodine. The dark brooding plumy fruit and fine velvety tannins bring our thoughts back from Islay to the Rhône and keep us there through to the satisfying finish.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Buyer
Brothers Daniel and Frédéric Brunier have crystallised their offering this year, with L’Accent de Roquète and Les Pallières both beneficiaries of investment and commercial repositioning. The result is a peerless family of wines, with Vieux Télégraphe still, naturally enough, primes inter pares. A season not without difficulty has illustrated once again the quality of this range.
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