2004 Domaine les Pallières Gigondas

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  Bonus Reviews, 5/16/2009, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

  (Domaine les Pallières Gigondas) Login and sign up and see review text.

Winedoctor

• By Chris Kissack
  November 2006, (See more on Winedoctor...)

  (Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas) Login and sign up and see review text.

• By Josh Raynolds
  January/February 2006, IWC Issue #124, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas) Login and sign up and see review text.

Garagiste

• By Jon Rimmerman
  12/20/2008, (See more on Garagiste...)

  (PALLIERES Gigondas) Loriza Dear Friends, I drank this wine for the third time last night and it reminded me of my first encounter last summer - a wine like this embodies our commitment to the best the wine-world has to offer without inducing a second mortgage. Maybe it was the small Italian water glass I drank this out of that made it so memorable (over three nights) or the fact that the aromatics were still so lovely without a wine stem in sight. The bottle rattled around in the back of my broken-down Lancia for almost a week before I decided to let the magic out of the (admittedly) warm bottle. Shaken and stirred (much to the dismay of 007) I never intended to offer this so it was not a priority. On the other hand, I always wish to to be polite to those that offer me a look into their vinous world, so, on a rainy Monday afternoon I grew tired of seeing it in the back seat - the cork was pulled and boy was I surprised. This wine is one on the more memorable under $20 Grenache-based 2003's and (with four years in the bottle) it's drinking superbly right now. If you adore the kirsch-laced wine of Chëteauneuf-du-Pape circa 1990 (Brunel's 1990 Cuvee Centenaire comes to mind as one of the purest kirsch aromatics I've ever encountered) but wish to pay this price instead of $30-50, this is an excellent place to start. When they chose the site for their winery in the high elevation of the newly anointed La Caunette, it may have actually been too cold. It took a vintage like 2003 to elevate the Loriza to normal levels (scary) - in excellent vintages such as 2001 and 2005, the Loriza is quite good but in a heat-wave year, it's an amazing wine. Low in alcohol (only 13.0-13.5%) and brimming with gorgeous perfume and extract, this wine will captivate from the get-go. I can't compare this to any other wine in Minervois - it is elegant, medium bodied and never tries to bowl you over the head with anything except it's charming style. A beautiful wine with a haunting kirsch-filled bouquet that lasted (open, with just the cork pushed back in) for three nights in the back seat - now that's promise. This winery was just cited by the Revue du Vins de France as one of the top few in all of Minervois and it's easy to see why (it's also interesting to note that other vintages are readily available but not the 2003 - I'm not the only one that has caught on). HIGHLY RECOMMENDED for terrific value and unique aromatic complexity: 2003 Khalkhal-Pamies "Loriza" (Minervois) ...at the request of some of our Rhone enthusiasts, we also have a perfect parcel of 2004 Les Pallieres Gigondas at a great price - what should be one of the lowest in the world: 2004 Domaine Les Pallieres Gigondas Thank you, Jon Rimmerman Garagiste Seattle, WA Rhone2256 SOFR7789

RJonWine.com

• By Richard Jennings
  5/6/2006, (See more on RJonWine.com...) 87 points

  (Domaine les Pallières Gigondas) A little pepper on nose; familiar Gigondas palate; short-medium finish