Les Primaires Gigondas Grenache Noir Syrah Mourvedre

Pretty much at its peak. Nose is a nice amalgam of cracked stones, roasted herbs, and some blackberry fruit. Good intensity in the mouth. Loads of stony, savory flavors. Still some tannin, but with the fruit bowing out to savoriness, I’m thinking it’s time to drink up.

Needed a good hour or more to blow off some pretty horrible bottle stink and let the fruit come out. Glad we had time and a decanter as it turned out quite ok. Savoury as a gsm can get, nice spice. 20€

This is a solid purchase. The tannins do resolve with time and worked well with grilled lamb. Red fruits and some meat on nose and palate. This might improve a bit in a year or two.

Two years ago, this was clumsy. Now it's integrated and very satisfying. Textbook Giggie nose: tons of smoky, stony minerality and perfumey ripe blackberry. Mouthfilling, weighty, and concentrated. Stony minerals and dark berry fruit compete. Lots of puckery tannin. A nice winter red. Starting to drink well and will certainly get better over next 5 years. Very good!

Good red fruit, leather, smooth and meaty for the 2012 vintage.

$22

$22

Ready to drink. Lively fruit, smoke, & spice. Great with Thanksgiving roasted turkey.

I'm always worried about cellaring wines in my less than ideal cellar (little too warm in summer, too cold in winter). But I think this would have held up nicely and I wish I opened it a year or two from now. It's still very nice. Youthful looking, intense black fruit and some rocks. Some pretty intense tannins. I think it will complement the Italian meatloaf I made. But I see this one better with a winter stew- maybe in 2018?

Very smooth and elegant. Expect more for the price, though. 2012 vintage.