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Moulin de la Gardette
Gigondas is the most exciting wine village in the Southern Rhône at the moment. Beyond its sleepy medieval façade and long-standing inferiority complex vis-à-vis Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, a Cru since 1971, is now re-establishing itself as a key appellation. It was ever thus, and the name itself (from the Latin jocunditas, meaning ‘merry city’) hints at an approach to life which is not without its merits.
Jean-Baptiste Meunier took over this ancient family estate (dating from 1670, it is even older than Berry Bros and Rudd!) in 1988 and has quietly brought it to its current size of 9 hectares, with some of the Grenache vines now having achieved centurion status. Organic by inclination and with the occasional biodynamic impulse, Jean-Baptiste makes some of the best Gigondas that is available today.
Their Gigondas Tradition is a blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Cinsault and 10% Mourvèdre. 10% is raised in used Burgundian barrels but the majority of the wine has been both fermented and matured in concrete, traditionally in other words.
Simon Field MW, Rhône Buyer
Syrah/Shiraz
A noble black grape variety grown particularly in the Northern Rhône where it produces the great red wines of Hermitage, Cote Rôtie and Cornas, and in Australia where it produces wines of startling depth and intensity. Reasonably low yields are a crucial factor for quality as is picking at optimum ripeness. Its heartland, Hermitage and Côte Rôtie, consists of 270 hectares of steeply terraced vineyards producing wines that brim with pepper, spices, tar and black treacle when young. After 5-10 years they become smooth and velvety with pronounced fruit characteristics of damsons, raspberries, blackcurrants and loganberries.
It is now grown extensively in the Southern Rhône where it is blended with Grenache and Mourvèdre to produce the great red wines of Châteauneuf du Pape and Gigondas amongst others. Its spiritual home in Australia is the Barossa Valley, where there are plantings dating as far back as 1860. Australian Shiraz tends to be sweeter than its Northern Rhône counterpart and the best examples are redolent of new leather, dark chocolate, liquorice, and prunes and display a blackcurrant lusciousness.
South African producers such as Eben Sadie are now producing world- class Shiraz wines that represent astonishing value for money.
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Description
There is no Mourvèdre in this particular lieu-dit but 20 percent Syrah has been added to the 70 percent Grenache and 10 percent Cinsault. A relatively modest colour belies explosive aromatics-redolent, appropriately enough, of jambon cru and fireworks. The palate is elegant, again savoury with hints of fennel and even aniseed on the finish. Meaning literally ‘where the wind blows’, Ventabren is a strong effort in 2013, recalling the not-so-distant halcyon days of 2010.
Simon Field MW - Rhône Buyer
Moulin de la Gardette is a bijou 10-hectare vineyard, situated on the slopes of Les Dentelles de Montmirail. They are a little unusual in that their office and shop are located right in the centre of the Medieval village, therefore a good place to visit just before or after a trip to the neighbouring Oustalet restaurant. Jean Baptiste Meunier is a thoughtful vigneron, and all of his vineyards are accreditied AB (Agriculture Biologique) by Ecocert. Playing in the same ballpark, the 2013 Gigondas Ventabren (70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Cinsault from Chalk, Clay and Sandstone soils) exhibits lots of Bing cherry, violets, pepper and spice to go with medium-bodied depth and richness on the palate. It has juicy, integrated acidity, sweet tannin and makes the most of the vintage. I suspect this too will be ready to go on release and show best in its first 7-8 years of life.
Jeb Dunnuck - Wine Advocate Issue#216 (Part 2) Jan 2015
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