Domaine Santa Duc, Gigondas, Les Hautes Garrigues, Southern Rhône, France, 2020

Producer Profile

Yves Gras is one of the strongest personalities in the Southern Rhône region; he is also very generous and has helped many young wine producers to improve their techniques & establish themselves within the market.

Since 2006, he has slightly softened his style by shortening the time of cuvaison and using different cooling methods in order to reduce some of the austerity that was previously characteristic of his wines. They still have plenty of local character & huge personality, but are certainly a little more approachable now in their youth. His son Benjamin has been in charge of the latest vintages; the results from the 23 hectares of vines are truly exceptional & have received great recognition from the press. “Straightforward and wise, Yves Gras is however one of the key figures of Gigondas. When he took over the Estate in 1985, he focused on producing wine with exemplary depth. Santa Duc vineyard is perfectly tended and meticulously maintained” Antoine Pétrus, Bettane & Desseauve Guide des Vins 2016

Viticulture

Les Hautes Garrigues are historic parcels, the terroir in which the wines of the estate have been firmly rooted for six generations, starting when the Domaine was established in 1874. In 1852 the town council of Gigondas decided to auction 12 hectares of communal land, and the vines that were soon planted there revealed these great terroirs. The 2.8-hectare plot sits on sandy soils rich in clay and coarse gravel and the vines average around 75 years old.

Winemaking

The grapes are hand-picked into crates and sorted manually in the vineyard before a second, table sorting in the cellar. A proportion is destemmed, the quantity being determined by the nature of the vintage and the parcel, and the grapes are fed by gravity into the vats to ensure the integrity of the berries. Fermentation takes place in thermo-regulated stainless-steel vats for 20 to 30 days, with two long pumping over sessions daily. Punching down is decided after tasting. Pressed pneumatically. Malolactic fermentation in vat. The wines are clarified by settling over winter in the cellar. Barrel filling occurs in the spring.

Tasting Note

The wines that come from these parcels are profound and serious, with spicy, liquorice notes and chewy tannins which give them extraordinary cellaring capacity. Powerful, full-bodied structure with fine tannins, long finish, and aromas of liquorice, cinnamon, and black berries.

Food Matching

Hearty, rich dishes like red meats, game, stews, and hard cheeses.