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; generous to a fault, he has helped many younger producers to improve their techniques and establish themselves on the market.

Since 2006, Yves has slightly softened his style by shortening the time of cuvaison and using different cooling methods to reduce the austerity that previously characterized his wines; they still have plenty of local character and a huge personality, but are also a little more approachable in their youth. Yves’ son Benjamin has taken charge of the most recent vintages. The results from the 23ha under vine are truly exceptional and have received widespread recognition in the press.

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.