Gigondas was the first Côtes du Rhône Villages to be raised to a cru of its own, on 6 January 1971. The vineyard covers a little over 1,200 hectares, bounded by the Dentelles to the east, the Ouvèze river to the west and the Trignon stream to the north. Limestone runs through all of it: wide alluvial terraces of clay and sand on the lower ground, then terraced slopes of marl and limestone, strewn with scree, below the Dentelles.

The rules ask for at least half Grenache in a grower's vineyard, and for Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault together to reach at least 15 percent. Yields for the red are capped at 36 hectolitres per hectare. Most vines face west and north-west, and the Dentelles block part of the morning sun, so Grenache ripens slowly. Breezes off the ridge also soften the summer heat. The growers credit this for the freshness of their wines and for their ability to age. Young Gigondas shows cherry, blackberry and spice, and with time it moves towards undergrowth and truffle.

Soils can change within a single estate. Domaine des Bosquets farms 26 hectares in the appellation, from limestone marl at altitude to sand on the mid-slopes, and bottles several plots on their own, among them La Colline, Le Plateau and Les Roches.

The wines above are the Gigondas wines in our cellar. See also the neighbouring cru of Vacqueyras, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, or the wider Rhône Valley.