Domaine Saint Damien Gigondas La Louisiane 2022
$69.99
Fine single vineyard Grenache, Mourvedre blend. “.. broad, expansive, sexy Gigondas will shine right out of the gate.” 95 points Jeb Dunnuck
18 in stock
Description
“Proprietor Joel Saurel, backed up by the inimitable Philippe Cambie as his consultant, has transformed this estate into one of the greatest in Gigondas, rivalling the two top producers, Yves Gras’ Santa Duc and Louis Barruol’s Saint Cosme.” Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
“Domaine Saint-Damien has been producing some of the region’s most elegant wines for years, but for some reason they rarely get the attention they deserve. Pricing here is also admirably fair, which makes this an address to be reckoned with for savvy Rhône wine lovers. The Saurel family, which has been farming here since 1821, now owns just over 12 hectares of vines in Gigondas, most of them quite old and cropped low, and the wines are aged in large, traditional concrete vats and old foudres and usually bottled on the young side “to preserve freshness,” as Romain Saurel said. Saurel’s father, Joël, is largely responsible for the domaine’s current (insider) fame and was also the one who brought its vineyards up to Agriculture Biologique certification in 2012. These wines are now consistently delivering some of the southern Rhône’s greatest values in high-end wine.“ Vinous Media, Feb 2020
Domaine Saint-Damien is run by Joel and Amie Saurel and their son Romain who has now taken charge of the winemaking. The Saurel family had been tending vineyards for four generations, dating back to 1821, and until recently had been selling all of the grapes to negociants. In 1996 Joel resumed producing wine at the estate and in 1998 they brought on consulting winemaker Philippe Cambie. Vinification is classic with wines being fermented in large old cement tanks and aged in either cement tanks or large old foudres for the Gigondas.
Today the estate is comprised of 17 hectares of vineyards of which 12 are in Gigondas. All their vineyards are certified organic since 2012. The vines are an average age of 50 years and are very low yielding. The wines of Gigondas are bottled according to individual terroir (particularly soil type) known as the Saint Damien Trilogy. Incredibly complex geology/soils translates to terrific results.
80 % Grenache (1942), 15 % Mourvèdre (1977), 5 % Cinsault (1951) and Syrah from the lieu-dit La Louisiane opposite the winery and home of Saint Damien on the lower terraces of Gigondas (around 150 metres elevation) with very rich red soil. Fermented on skins for 6 weeks in large concrete vats before ageing in large old 50 hl foudres for 12 months before bottling un-fined and unfiltered. Typically shows well from a young age.
(93-95) points, Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate, May 2024. ‘As in most vintages, there’s a distinctive floral scent in the nose of the 2022 Gigondas La Louisiane. It’s rose-like, adding a lovely flourish to the black cherries and black raspberries that form the core of this full-bodied effort. It’s silky, ripe and long, with a hint of licorice on the finish.’
(93-95) points, Jeb Dunnuck, October 2023. ‘The 2022 Gigondas La Louisiane is in the same ballpark. Mostly Grenache from vines around the estate, on the lower plain, it has a slightly darker profile as well as classic peppery herb, garrigue, earth, and floral hints. It’s medium to full-bodied, with a layered, mouth-filling texture and a great finish. This broad, expansive, sexy Gigondas will shine right out of the gate.’
RRP $83 Our Special Price $69.99 Last stocks
Additional information
Producer | Saint Damien |
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Variety | Grenache and Blends |
Region or Country | France, Southern Rhone |
Vintage | 2022 |