Domaine des Bosquets Gigondas 2020 – 750ml Terroir

94pts Vinous

Deep, vivid magenta. Intensely perfumed, mineral-accented cherry and red berry aromas are complemented by suggestions of five-spice powder, garrigue and candied flowers. Silky, energetic and alluringly sweet, it offers sappy, spice-laced raspberry, cherry pie and rose pastille flavors that show superb detail and lively back-end lift. Impressively balanced and focused on the incisive finish, which is framed by smooth, polished tannins. This is a heck of an entry-level offering. Made with one-third whole clusters.

93pts Wine & Spirits

93pts Jeb Dunnuck

Moving to the bottled 20202s, the 2020 Gigondas Réserve is a rocking little gem of a wine with a ripe, sexy, opulent style that stays beautifully balanced and elegant. Black raspberries, peppery garrigue, spice, and floral notes all define the bouquet, and it’s full-bodied and wonderfully textured on the palate. It’s perfect for enjoying over the coming 10-12+ years. The blend is 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 7% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault that was 70% destemmed and raised in a mix of vessels. It’s a great base cuvée from this estate.

Winemaker Notes

This wine is fermented in tank by natural yeasts with 30% whole clusters, then aged 12 months in French oak barrels of various sizes, then an additional 6 months in concrete.

Winery Notes

Domaine des Bosquets has deep historical roots in Gigondas. It was first mentioned as a vineyard site in 1376. Bosquets means “a wooded grove,” which is an apt name for many of the vineyards one finds high up in the Dentelles – isolated and surrounded by forest and scrub. The oldest surviving buildings on the property, constructed in 1644 under Jean de Rivière Seigneur de Laval’s direction, are comprised of a defensive tower, protective walls, and a solidly built provençal farmhouse. All have thick walls testifying to the need for protection against the cold winds of winter, the heat of summer, and the risks of living in such a remote corner of France. In 1674 the estate was inherited by the Chauvet family, who ran the property for many generations. In the 19th century, the estate passed through Eugène Raspail’s hands, who reorganized many of the vineyard plots and terraced portions of them. In 1961 Gabriel Meffre discovered that Domaine des Bosquets was for sale. Motivated by the potential and history of the estate and his love of his wife Juliette, a descendant of the Chauvet family, he purchased Domaine des Bosquets to bring it back into the family.