Since 2006, the Quiot Family, charmed by the Dentelles de Montmirail and its products of character, owns the Château du Trignon in order to perpetuate it, while expanding it by 10 ha of Vacqueyras and a few hectares of Beaume-de-Venise.
"Respectful of achievement but rich of our wine-maker knowledge, we have adopted this land whose singularity fits in with all our other properties, in the same line of tradition, quality and adaptation."
The origin of the name Gigondas: two hypotheses.
The first one: he would pull it out of gignite undas, "emerged from the waters", like this mountain terroir concealing a gigantic underground reservoir.
The second one: of Latin origin, jucunda, which means “happy” and would be inspired either by Jucundus, the first owner of the place, or by its pleasant position and the pleasures of the surrounding hunting ... or even the pleasure of wine itself.
The cultivation of the vine goes back to antiquity. If the veterans of the Second Roman Legion are credited with creating the first wineries, the discovery of vats for storing wine is another clue. We then note that the oldest written mention of a Gigondas vineyard is from the 12th century. Gigondas is the first Côtes du Rhône Villages to reach the rank of Cru on January 6th 1971.
In the appellation, the terroirs are made up of large alluvial terraces of stony red clay, of Mindelian origin, which extend to the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail. Their high permeability allows rapid drying of the plots. These soils, rich in clay, are characteristic of the terroirs of great vintages.
On the estate, we have 3 terroirs: -clay and limestone molasse; alluvium with exploded pebbles; safres and sandstone.
Partial de-stemming. Vatting time: 3 to 4 weeks. MLF and maturing in oak for a proportion.
Gigondas offers a rich bouquet, with fine, fruity and spicy aromas and a sunny color ranging from ruby to dark garnet. The nose reveals a bouquet of red fruits and very ripe black fruits. On the palate, the Gigondas is full-bodied with a fleshy attack. The Grenache Noir releases all the expression of its power in this shimmering red wine with marked tannins, a structured body and a great aptitude for aging. Syrah and Mourvèdre reinforce their garnet color and spice up their aromas.
Review:
- Wine Enthusiast , Anna Lee C. Iijima 94 Points
Pago de Carraovejas Ribera Del Duero is made from 90% Tempranillo, 6% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Merlot
The most honest interpretation of the Carraovejas Valley.
Body, structure and balance with a vibrant background. Delicacy, harmony and passion for detail are perceived in a wine that reflects the unique character of the valley in an outstanding way.
The 2022 vintage was characterized by cool winter months and extremely low rainfall, reaching limits that had not been observed for years. Due to the good rainfall of the previous year, the vines had good accumulated water reserves, which allowed the vineyard to have a good phenological cycle and normal development. Budding and flowering were perfectly developed in each of the varieties worked, and a homogeneous and balanced development of the plants was achieved. The summer was excessively hot, with several episodes of heat waves, which were mitigated by drip irrigation. Veraison, which was slower than in previous years, and ripening began in early August and the berries developed very uniformly. Harvest began on September 12 and ended on September 28.
Pago de Carraovejas 2022 is the most honest reflection of the valley to which it owes its name. An environment in which the vines climb the slopes to form a unique landscape. On the surface, its tertiary soil of limestone marl, clay and sandstone outcrops force the vines to self-regulate and give their best. Plots that converge in an orography marked by its unique mesoclimate. The vineyards are distributed from the middle zones to the moors that exceed 900 meters in altitude; from the gentle undulation that descends towards the stream, to the plots that exceed 30% slope. South- and north facing slopes, each with its own personality, create the profile of the Carraovejas Valley.
The grapes for Pago de Carraovejas 2022 were harvested by hand after an initial selection of bunches in the vineyard. Subsequently, in the winery, a double selection was made: first by cluster then by berry. Gravity must production allows maximum respect for the raw material. During the fermentation process, indigenous yeasts and lactic bacteria from our own estate were used. The wine was aged in French and American oak barrels for 12 months. The entire process was marked by precision and care in every detail. For greater protection, the wine contains sulfites. Finally it was clarified with natural egg white and bottle in spring of 2024.
Review:
A concentrated, dense Ribera del Duero, but there is a lot to like if you enjoy plushness, with its lush blackberry fruit and dark chocolate. Fine-grained and full-bodied on the palate, but fresh and still pretty tense, with chalky tannins. Drink from 2025.
-James Suckling 93 Points
Long Shadows Dance Chardonnay is made from 100 percent Chardonnay.
Allen Shoup and winemaker Gilles Nicault have experimented with Chardonnay since the beginning of their collaboration on the Long Shadows Vintners project. The wine was fermented using a proprietary process to achieve a wonderful balance of richness and minerality. Two of Washington’s oldest Chardonnay vineyards provide the grapes for this limited production wine. Wente clone Chardonnay from French Creek Vineyard, east of Prosser – including a selection of old vine Chard (40%) – and Boushey Vineyard, north of Grandview, were chosen for the vibrant, lively character that defines Chardonnay grown on both these sites.
A layered, aromatic wine that displays minerality and white blossom fragrances with flavors of white peach, apple and a hint of baking spice woven throughout a subtle, creamy texture.