Domaine Palon Gigondas 2017

Domaine Palon is located at the foot of the “Dentelles de Montmirail” on the gentle mid-slope of Gigondas. This is a very small domaine with only 7 hectares in Gigondas and 5 hectares in Vacqueyras. The Palon family has been vignerons since the 1930’s but current owner, Sebastien Palon (4th generation) is the first to bottle the wines under their family name starting in 2003. Sebastien’s Grandfather, Jean Palon was the co-founder of the Gigondas Cave Co-operative and member of the governing board from 1956-1978. Jean-Pierre Palon, Sebastien’s father, was the president of the Cave Co-operative from 1978-2001. The wines here are pure class that highlight precision and focus. Sebastien achieves restrained power in his wines that showcase complex soil components as much as the juicy and ripe briary fruit and garrigue flavors. The wines exude balance.

79% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 6% Mourvèdre. The Syrah and Mourvedre are aged in neutral, large oak casks for 12 months. This aging softens any tannins and adds a silky mouthfeel to the wine. Simply gorgeous, I would stack this up against $50+ Chateauneuf du Pape…

“full-bodied, supple and rich, with chewy but ripe tannins balanced by cherries and stone fruit. Hints of mocha and vanilla add a modern nuance (the Syrah and Mourvèdre are aged in wood). Balanced, long and intense, this looks to be a potential star of the vintage.”