2015 Gigondas Le Poste

My favorite vintage for this cuvee to date, the 2015 Gigondas Le Poste shows the more pure, elegant and finesse-driven side to the estate, as well as the vintage. From a terraced vineyard just up the hill from the estate and from 100% old vine Grenache fermented without destemming and aged in 20% new barrels, its deep purple color is followed by perfumed notes of black cherries, graphite, leafy herbs, gravely/damp earth like minerality and spring flowers. So pure, fine and seamless, yet with a stacked mid-palate and a huge finish, it’s a tour de force that’s up with some of the greatest Gigondas every produced. Like the other cuvees, hide bottles for 2-3 years and enjoy over the following two decades. Louis Barruol’s Chateau de Saint Cosme is unquestionably one of the reference point estates in Gigondas, as well as the entire southern Rhône Valley. The estate lies just to the east of the village and covers 25 hectares, with 15 of those in Gigondas. He makes a classic Gigondas as well as four single vine releases from single vineyards located around the estate. The wines are not destemmed and aged mostly in older barrels, with a small portion in new barrels.