The official specifications issued by the AOC Gigondas syndicate ensure that the quality of Gigondas wines is always upheld. These specifications regarding vineyard management, harvest, vinification and wine ageing have to be followed in order for the Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée Gigondas label to be used, and checks are carried out by an independent body to ensure that the rules are respected. Centrally located in the commune of Gigondas, Philis laboratory plays an active role in maintaining quality at the various stages of viticulture and vinification, as well as being a valuable source of information, training and oenological analysis for the wine growers of Gigondas.
The unique Gigondas “coat-of-arms” bottle is another element that serves to uphold the quality of the wines. The coat-of-arms in question is a direct reference to the village’s history, featuring a 15th century écu (coin), the hunting horn of the family of Orange, and olive branches. The bottle’s technical specifications make it ideal for the preservation and ageing of wine.
The maximum permitted yield of the Gigondas appellation (36 hl/ha) is one of the lowest in France. This, combined with noble grape varieties such as Grenache Noir, Syrah and Mourvèdre, gives the wines of Gigondas their highly nuanced, complex range. Each producer carefully crafts their wine in their own way, vinifying grape varieties separately or together, partially or totally destemmed, with maceration periods of 2 to 4 weeks, depending on the vintage and the choice of the individual grower.
Gigondas wines are aged partly in stainless steel, to preserve the fruit profile, and partly in wooden vats and oak barrels to finesse the tannins. After many months the wine is bottled, once it has become well-balanced, generous and round.
The amount of rosé wine made in the Gigondas appellation is very small (less than 1%) but its generosity on the palate means that it is certainly attention-worthy. The robe is intense pink with purplish-blue hints, and the highly expressive nose has notes of almond and red fruit jam. Heady, generous and well-balanced, AOC Gigondas rosé can be enjoyed as apéritif or throughout a meal.