Pierre Amadieu Romane Machotte Gigondas 2019 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's red wine review is this beautiful organic and biodynamic Gigondas from Rhône that arrived at the LCBO last weekend in the April 30th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

Pierre Amadieu has been winegrowing in the hills of Gigondas since 1929. At the time, he had a 7 hectare vineyard that had been passed down through the generations. Pierre Amadieu was one of the first producers to print the name of the appellation on its labels and played an instrumental role in developing and promoting Gigondas wines. Near the village in 1945, Pierre Amadieu built a winemaking facility and a subterranean ageing cellar that was dug two levels underground to ensure constant temperature and hygrometry.

In 1950, Pierre Amadieu, who was a pioneer in several domains in Gigondas, purchased two properties that were historically linked - Romane and La Machotte. With this purchase, Pierre Amadieu became the largest estate in Gigondas with 137 hectares of vines that were surrounded by 200 hectares of garrigue and holm oaks, assuring natural protection of the vineyard. In 1955, he purchased an old railway tunnel near Pierrelongue (Drôme) to allow for exceptional ageing of his wines. The property at La Machotte is equipped with oak casks still in use today, as well as takes advantage of natural air conditioning, and also has 13th century ceramic vats which are still visible. Well before environmental awareness grew across the globe, 1,200 sheep were pasturing in the vineyards in the off-season and providing natural manure and controlled ground cover planting to obtain a natural and healthy vineyard.

The next generation took up the reins in the vineyard and cellar when Pierre Amadieu's sons Jean-Pierre and Claude joined the family business in 1965 and 1975. In 1989, Pierre Amadieu Jr. (Jean-Pierre's son) became the head of the company and represented the third generation of the family. Soon thereafter, Pierre was joined by his three cousins Henri-Claude, Jean-Marie, and Marie, and all three play important roles in the company. In 2019, Pierre Amadieu celebrated its 90th vintage and with a commitment to continuously improving their knowledge and infrastructure, they inaugurated their new ageing cellar that was built in natural stone. Their goal is to produce well-balanced, fine wines that reveal the elegance and richness of their protected terroirs located in the heights of the Gigondas appellation.

This particular red wine is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that was grown in the southern Rhone Valley Cru of Gigondas on vines that are deeply rooted on the hillsides of the family estate, where the scent of "garrigue" that grew there for centuries still perfumes the vines that replaced it. The vineyard is located at 300 metres altitude, faces northwest, and has soils composed of alternating Cretaceous limestone and marl. The grapes for this bottling were grown on vines averaging 45 years. After hand-picking the grapes, it was fermented in concrete tanks and aged for 12 months in foudres and barrels.

Tasting Note:

PIERRE AMADIEU ROMANE MACHOTTE GIGONDAS 2019 - AC, Rhône, France (#17400) (XD) - $27.95
Composed of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, the fragrant nose is intense and spicy with beautiful aromas of garrigue, peppery spice, raspberry, dark cherry, floral, and dried herb flecked with smoky minerals. It's medium-full bodied, structured, and ripe with plummy, black cherry, raspberry, smoky flavours. It has fresh, well-balanced acidity, while the tannins are supple, structured, and a bit tight. Smoky raspberry notes linger on the long, juicy, and crisp finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 91 pts

Other excellent wines by Pierre Amadieu can be ordered through their Agent - Trilogy Wine Group.

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LAVAU Gigondas 2018 (Rhône) - Wine Review

After enjoying the lovely 2016 LAVAU Gigondas approximately 18 months ago, tonight's wine review is the latest vintage of this red wine from one of my favourite Rhône producers. It arrived at the LCBO over the weekend as part of the January 8 LCBO VINTAGES Release

It is produced by Maison LAVAU, a winemaking family with a passion for wine and love for terroir and land. The Lavau family's story begins in Saint-Émilion in the 19th century, followed by a move to Tunisia where René Lavau and his son transformed a small estate of vines and orange trees into the country's biggest wine producer. In the 1960s, Jean-Guy Lavau (René's grandson) and his wife Anne-Marie returned to France and settled in Sablet in the heart of the Rhône Valley and took charge of a small winemaking cellar that would eventually become Maison LAVAU in 1965.

In the 1990s, their two sons, Frédéric and Benoît Lavau, joined the family winery and took over once their parents retired at the turn of the century. In addition to having over 180 hectares of vines across the Rhône Valley, Maison LAVAU has also formed partnerships with growers and other estates. Today, Maison LAVAU is a major producer of Rhône wines and one of the last family-run and independent wine estates in the Rhône Valley.

Like the previous vintage, this Gigondas is crafted with old vines Grenache (50%), Syrah (40%), and Mourvèdre (10%). Originally from Spain, Grenache is the emblematic grape of the Southern Rhône Valley. Grenache is very resistant to drought, produces very sweet juice, and is usually blended to contribute to the power and volume of the wines from the Southern Rhône. Syrah is not very resistant to the Mistral wind, thus it is often trained. Syrah produces a beautiful purplish hue, intense fruit or spice notes, and combines very well with Grenache as it imparts freshness, fruit, and tannin to the blend. Also originally from Spain, Mourvèdre is a late ripening variety that produces intense and powerful wines, yet show great finesse. Mourvèdre is particularly suitable for maturing and ageing in oak.

This Gigondas was grown on fairly poor, calcareous-marl soils, from parcels located on the terraced, north-facing slopes of Gigondas, at the foot of the famous Dentelles de Montmirail. The grapes were de-stemmed, macerated, and fermented in temperature-controlled vats. The wine was aged for 12 months, with 55% aged in vat, while the remainder was aged in 450 L barrels that were used previously for 1 or 2 vintages, and then blended to create the final wine. Although the 2018 vintage in the Southern Rhône was a bit of a hit or miss, Maison LAVAU always produces a solid range of wines, so let's see how this Gigondas is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

LAVAU GIGONDAS 2018 - AC, Rhône, France (#234955) (XD) - $34.95
This blend of old vines Grenache (50%), Syrah (40%), and Mourvèdre (10%) has a lovely, intense nose of spices, black pepper, and dark berries with meaty, licorice, black cherry, and smoky mineral, plus hints of violets adding further complexity. On the structured, medium-full bodied palate it is very ripe with black and blueberry, smoky mineral, black pepper spice, black raspberry, and licorice flavours supported by ripe, fine-grained tannins and juicy, well-balanced acidity. Slightly chalky on the mid-palate and beautifully balanced throughout with lovely flavour replays lingering on the long, smoky mineral finish. Highly recommended buy! Score: 92 pts

Although very few other bottlings from this producer are currently available at the LCBO, wines from Maison LAVAU can be ordered through their Agent - Connexion Oenophilia.

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E. Guigal Gigondas 2009 (Rhône) - Wine Review

For tonight's wine review, I opened up this excellent Gigondas that I picked up back in June 2013.

Guigal was established in 1946 by Etienne Guigal in Ampuis - a small, ancient village just south of Lyon in the heart of the Côte-Rôtie appellation in northern Rhône, and overlooked by unique vineyards where wines have been made for more than 2,400 years. In 1961, a still very young Marcel Guigal took over management of the domain from his father. In 1973, Marcel was joined by his wife, Bernadette, and two years later their son, Philippe, was born. Today, Philippe is the domain's oenologist and represents the third generation of the family to work at the domain.

After expanding the family business and acquiring several estates in the Rhône Valley, Guigal strived to further improve their knowledge of winemaking in 2003 by venturing into barrel making. This artisanal and ancient craft enabled them to master another skill within the charming historical surroundings of Château d'Ampuis - one of the famous estates they acquired a decade prior.

This Gigondas is part of The Collection range of wines at Guigal. Vintage after vintage, wines from The Collection have become symbols of the family's ethos of supreme quality wines. Marcel and Philippe Guigal pay meticulous attention throughout the winemaking process, including selection, blending, and ageing to craft wines with consistency and excellence, while representing the great appellations of the Rhône Valley.

While this vintage is long sold out, this red wine is a frequent visitor to LCBO VINTAGES and most recently arrived in November 2020. A few bottles of the latest vintage are available across Ontario, but I am sure can also be ordered through their Agents - Vinexx in Ontario and Sélection Fréchette in Québec. Let's see how this Gigondas is tasting tonight...

Tasting Note:

E. GUIGAL GIGONDAS 2009 - AC, Rhône, France (#331900) (XD) - $31.95
A blend of 65% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, and 10% Syrah from 40 year old vines grown on ancient alluvia, red clay, and gravelly slopes, and aged for 2 years in oak foudres, 50% new. Lovely, elegant, medium-high to highly aromatic nose offers maturing dried dark berry, sweet cinnamon spice, floral, and wood aromas. It is medium-full to full-bodied on the palate with very good concentration and lovely savoury, sweet spice, dried dark berry, and wet earth flavours with a touch of olive on the mid-palate. It has balanced acidity, while the fine tannins have integrated very nicely, with a slight chalky texture. Well-balanced overall with earthy, savoury, and dried berry notes lingering on the long finish. Drinking great now and still has a few more years of enjoyment ahead. Score: 92 pts

Tasting Note from 2013:

Intense aromas are earthy, meaty, and dark fruited, all of which follow through nicely on the full-bodied palate. It's well-balanced with dusty tannins and balanced acidity, and excellent length on the finish. Nice! Score: 91 pts

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LAVAU Gigondas 2016 and Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2016 (Rhône) - Wine Reviews

Tonight's wine reviews are a pair of excellent cru wines from the Southern Rhône. These red wines are from Gigondas and Châteauneuf-du-Pape and are from the spectacular 2016 vintage. Moreover, both of these lovely wines arrived at the LCBO as part of the August 8th LCBO VINTAGES Release.

These wines are produced by Maison LAVAU, a family that has been involved in winemaking for several generations and was officially created in 1965 when Jean-Guy Lavau and his wife Anne-Marie returned to France (from Tunisia) and took charge of a small winemaking cellar in Sablet that Jean-Guy's father, Jean, purchased a few years earlier.

With great attention to detail and a thirst for excellence, Jean-Guy and Anne-Marie Lavau built a reputation as top quality winemakers in the region. They also formed close ties with other winegrowers and invested in the their future by purchasing the biggest winemaking business in the Vaucluse in 1994. In an interesting Canadian connection, their two sons, Frédéric and Benoît, both studied in Canada before joining the family business back in Rhône. Frédéric joined the family business in 1995, and Benoît followed suit two years later.

In 2000, Frédéric and Benoît took over the family business after their parents retired. They continued to invest in their business by building a new, modern, and high-performance cellar, as well as creating the LAVAU brand, and exporting their wines to other countries.

Today, Maison LAVAU is one of the last family-run and independent wine estates in the Rhône Valley. It has three winemaking cellars and 180 hectares of vines and has become a major producer of Rhône wines. The primary objectives are to make top quality, generous, and affordable wines, while also promoting the diversity and quality of the prestigious Rhône Valley appellations.

I have enjoyed many LAVAU wines over the years, which are represented by Connexion Oenophilia, and would expect these fine Rhône wines to be just as excellent.

Tasting Notes:

LAVAU GIGONDAS 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#234955) (XD) - $36.95

This Gigondas is a blend of old Grenache (50%), Syrah (40%), and Mourvèdre (10%) vines that were hand-harvested from steep, north-facing, terraced hillsides on fairly poor, calcareous-marl soils at the foot of the famous Dentelles de Montmirail. 55% of the wine is aged in vat, while the rest in 450 L barrels that were used for 1 or 2 vintages. The barrel-aged wine spends 12 months in barrel prior to blending with the vat-aged wine. The fresh, rich, and highly aromatic nose offers peppery spice, garrigue, and dark berry with earthy tones and touches of plum. The medium-full bodied palate is rich with a concentrated mouthfeel and spicy, dark berry flavours supported by refined, structured tannins and fresh, lively acidity. There's some chalkiness on the mid-palate while earthy mineral, spice, and dark berry notes linger on the long, juicy finish. Lovely Gigondas that will reward with a couple of years in the cellar and drink well to the end of the decade. Score: 91 pts

LAVAU CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 2016 - AC, Rhône, France (#15183) (XD) - $44.95

This Châteauneuf-du-Pape is a blend of old 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre planted on sandy terrain, and undergoes similar vinification to the Gigondas with 50% of the wine aged in vat, while the other half spent 12 months in 450 L barrels that were used for 1 or 2 vintages prior to blending with the vat-aged wine. Complex, fragrant, and spicy medley of ripe raspberry, wild dark berry, garrigue, violet, and plum with touches of smoky-stony mineral aromas. The medium-full to full-bodied palate has black plum, black currant, and raspberry flavours mingling with spice and stony mineral notes. There's also touches of herb and tobacco on the mid-palate, adding further complexity. It's supported by fresh, juicy acidity and smooth, fine-grained tannins that have some grip. Well-balanced with plum, spicy dark berry with fine stony mineral notes lingering on the finish, with excellent length. Lovely now, but has the structure to develop further over the coming decade. Score: 91+ pts

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Pierre Amadieu Le Pas de l'Aigle Gigondas 2014 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine review is a lovely bottle I picked up while visiting Rhône last May.

It is produced by Pierre Amadieu, a passionate family-owned and -operated winery in Gigondas. Prior to 1929, Pierre Amadieu operated as a private co-operative, selling his wine in bulk. But in 1929, Pierre Amadieu Sr. (grandfather of current owner Pierre Amadieu Jr.) decided to produce Gigondas wines under his own name with grapes coming from 7 ha of vineyards in Gigondas that were passed on from generation to generation. He was the first to write the name of the appellation on his labels and in 1932 obtained a gold medal in the Agricultural Contest in Paris. Pierre Sr. played a decisive role for the appellation, promoting Gigondas everywhere, with wines becoming very much appreciated over time. He was rewarded for his efforts when Gigondas was awarded Cru status in 1971.

This lovely cuvée is called "Le Pas de l'Aigle", meaning "The Eagle Pass", and comes from the highest lands of Gigondas with terroir consisting of limestone and marls of Cretaceous origin. The grapes for this wine are a selection of old vines Grenache and Syrah on northwest facing slopes at 500 metres altitude next to rocky falls. Very low yields allow the terroir to shine in this wine. The Eagle Pass looks like a fascinating place to visit!

For availability of this delicious red wine, please contact Trilogy Wine Group in Ontario, or Balthazard in Québec.

Tasting Note:

PIERRE AMADIEU LE PAS DE L'AIGLE GIGONDAS 2014 - AC, Rhône, France (#354217) (XD) - $38
Hand-harvested blend of old vines Grenache (90%) and Syrah (10%) aged in French foudre for 15 months. The lovely medium-high intensity nose offers spice, blackberry, and smoky minerality notes mingling with hints of white pepper, currant, red berry and a whiff of floral. It is medium-to-full bodied with very good fruit extraction, racy acids and chewy tannins that are integrating nicely. Savoury and woody on the palate with tobacco, red berry, cherry, and raspberry flavours. Somewhat drying and chalky mid-palate. Mineral, dark berry, and wood spice notes linger on the long finish. Enjoyable now, but still a few years away from prime drinking and can be aged for about 10 years. Score: 91+ pts

When I was in Rhône, I also had the opportunity to taste the 2012 vintage of this delicious wine...

PIERRE AMADIEU LE PAS DE L'AIGLE GIGONDAS 2012 - AC, Rhône, France (XD)
Medium-high intensity, sour-edged nose with red berry, cherry, spice, and savoury hints. Medium-bodied with chalky tannins, and more savoury on the palate with earthy, forest floor nuances layered on top of red cherries, with hints of floral and mineral flavours. Acids still fresh. Very good to excellent finish length. Showing some maturity. Score: 91 pts

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Lavau Gigondas 2013 (Rhône) - Wine Review

Tonight's wine will be available as part of the upcoming LCBO VINTAGES Release on September 3rd.

It's made by the Lavau Family which has been winemaking for several generations and started out in St. Emilion. In 1964, the family settled in the Rhône Valley and is now managed by Benoit and Frederic Lavau. The Lavau Family currently owns 3 cellars in southern Rhône and has partnered up with 300 grape growers, allowing the family to choose the best terroir and grapes for each of their wines. The grapes for this red wine come from a vineyard located on the steep terraced hillsides of Gigondas.

Having enjoyed the Lavau Vacqueyras and the entry-level Lavau Côtes du Rhône Villages (still available at LCBO) wines last year, I am expecting only good things from this higher-tiered Gigondas.

Tasting Note:

LAVAU GIGONDAS 2013 - AC, Rhône, France (#234955) (XD) - $29.95
Blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre that was aged in a mix of vat and used barrels. Dark plum and berry aromas from the cork. Appealing notes of cherry, red currant, raspberry, violet florals with undertones of earthiness The palate is full-bodied and gains texture in the mouth. Blackberry, black cherry, some floral and stony mineral flavours, along with subtle oak notes. Acids are fresh and mouthwatering. Tannins are a bit tight and grippy and could use another year of ageing. Long finish tapers to the earthy side. Approachable now, but better next year and drink over next half dozen years. Will be enjoyed tonight with Chicken Tacos. Recommended buy. Score: 90+ pts

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