Domaine Brusset - Cairanne Hommage à André Brusset 2016

Bettane & Desseauve

About wine:

Engaging nose of blackcurrant and violet. Silky on the palate, slightly supple mid-palate, with a lovely return to fruit. Well-made, appetizing wine with good potential.

About the estate:

Laurent, André's grandson, now at the helm of the estate, produces a wide range of wines from nearly 70 plots, including terraced vineyards in the spectacular Dentelles de Montmirail. This fragmentation proves to be an advantage during the blending stages. It should be noted that the 2017 vintage was somewhat turbulent.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Seventy-eight south-facing terraces make up this 70-hectare vineyard located below the Dentelles de Montmirail. Created in 1947 by André Brusset, then managed by his son Daniel, it is now run by his grandson Laurent. The estate is present in five AOCs and produces a total of 14 different wines. A sure bet in Gigondas and Cairanne.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About wine:

Produced only in exceptional vintages, the 2016 Cairanne Hommage à Andre Brusset is a 50-50 blend of Grenache and Mourvèdre, made without destemming. It is rich and velvety without being overly alcoholic, reaching only 14% alcohol according to Brusset (it is labeled at 13.5%). Black fruit flavors abound, picking up delicate notes of spice on the long, silky finish.

About the estate:

Laurent Brusset's estate now covers 70 hectares, based in the village of Cairanne but extending to Ventoux and into the Dentelles above Gigondas. Founded by his grandfather in 1947, the winemaking here is modern but balanced, with a mix of vats, demi-muids, and barrels used, depending on the cuvée. Similarly, some wines are entirely destemmed or entirely whole cluster, with a mixture used for others. "When you have great ripeness," Brusset explained, "it's better to keep the stems." In the entry-level wines, Brusset aims for drinkability, but in the higher-level cuvées, he seeks complexity and aging potential. "Sixteen is a very beautiful vintage," Brusset said. "It has good balance, great acidity." In 2017, there is about half a degree more alcohol and lower acidity. His yields in Cairanne averaged only 20 hectoliters per hectare, the smallest he has ever seen. So he adjusted his extraction accordingly, doing no punch-downs and only very gentle pumping, to avoid extracting harsh tannins.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

A fan of powerful wines, he opted for an infused style. Located in Cairanne, the Brusset estate cultivates 70 hectares of vines across five appellations. For a long time, Laurent Brusset produced powerful wines, seeking density in winemaking through extensive extraction. Today, he works more with infusion to obtain finer wines. His conversion to organic farming two years ago required considerable labor on the hillsides he cultivates, which are difficult to mechanize. But for him, the crucial point remains the optimal ripeness of the grapes at harvest. It is therefore not surprising that we were seduced by his beautiful wines, bursting with generous fruit.

James Suckling

About wine:

Very impressive in every way. Abundant notes of crushed flowers, black minerals, dry roasted spices, black fruits, and dark chocolate to start. The palate has energetic, elegant, and super-fine tannins, which carry concentrated fruit aromas in long, smooth waves. Superb wine. Drink from 2020.