Maison Tardieu-Laurent - Gigondas Vieilles Vignes 2018

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent created this association of excellence in the early 1990s, becoming one of the finest micro-negociants in the Rhône Valley. Today, Bastien and Michel Tardieu criss-cross the vineyards to find the best supplies, generally grapes from very old vines, often located in the historic heart of each appellation. In recent vintages, a real transformation has taken place: large casks, vinification using whole grapes for certain cuvées and, above all, a more measured approach to ageing have raised the already excellent level of quality even higher. A sure bet for the region.

Guide des Vins Gault & Millau

About the domain :

A wine enthusiast, Michel Tardieu teamed up with Dominique Laurent, the brilliant Burgundy négociant and winemaker, to start a small négoce business a decade ago. Michel Tardieu is unsurpassed when it comes to unearthing old-vine cuvées in all the Rhone appellations; add Dominique Laurent's expertise in maturing wines, with his magnificent barrels, and you've got a powerhouse duo crafting some of the Rhone's most extraordinary cuvées.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Gigondas Vieilles Vignes 2018 is 80% Grenache, with the remaining 20% equally divided between Mourvèdre and Syrah. Two-thirds of the harvest were not destemmed, and the wine was aged in previously used barrels for 10 months, then in foudre. This is a high-flying achievement, with flamboyant aromas of herbal tea and red raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, its texture is silky, with a long, vibrant finish that ends with a wave of supple tannins.

About the domain :

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

About the wine:

A classic palette for the terroir, with macerated fruit and hints of garrigue. The ageing is just right, and the voluminous, spherical palate imposes its personality and persistence.

About the domain :

This small, upmarket wine merchant was founded in the early 1990s by Michel Tardieu and Dominique Laurent in the Rhône Valley. Thanks to excellent sourcing and a keen sense of winemaking and ageing, Michel Tardieu produces a range of consistent, modern wines. This leading-edge wine merchant, with impeccable sourcing in both the southern and northern Rhône valleys, has been awarded its second star this year.

Jancis Robinson

About the wine:

Juicy and with a good attack on the palate, even if the nose suggests extreme ripeness. It has grip, fine tannins and real aging potential. Layers of interest, including some welcome salty notes. And not too much oak.

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

A great step forward, the 2018 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes is a remarkable opus offering magnificent aromas and flavors of black raspberries, garrigue, spices and flowers. Full-bodied, pure and balanced, with beautiful depth of fruit, it's up there with the best wines of the vintage. This cuvée is composed of 90% Grenache and a balance of Syrah and Mourvèdre, fermented with lots of stems, and aged once and twice in barrels, then for a year in foudre.