Domaine Les Pallières

Domaine Les Pallières, nestling in the foothills of the beautiful and brooding Dentelles de Montmirail, is undeniably one of the greatest, longest-running properties of the Southern Rhône. The vineyards range from 250-400 meters in altitude, with varying proportions of sand and clay interwoven with limestone scree descending from the Dentelles. When the Brunier family purchased the domaine back in 1998 this great property had fallen on hard times. Years of painstaking work in the vineyards followed. Terraces were built and reinforced, allowing for better water retention. A new winery was built to receive the harvested parcels individually in gravityfed tanks. Finally as the Bruniers began to fully understand the vineyards at Pallieres the many lieux-dits, once blended into one cuvée of Gigondas, were separated into two, starting with the 2007 vintage, in an effort to best express two remarkable personalities. Cuvée “Terrasse du Diable,” encompasses the low-yielding vines from the higher altitudes that express great structure and intense minerality. Cuvée “Les Racines” showcases the vineyard parcels surrounding the winery—the origin of the domaine with the oldest vines—with the emphasis on freshness and extravagant cornucopian fruit.

What an attractive and forward bouquet, a stony fragrance, deep and opulent, displaying a black cherry perfume. The palate continues in the same vein, a core of rich, ripe red fruits, myrtle, anise, black cherry liqueur that is struck through with liquorice and garrigue. The texture of the wine is ripe, and deliciously complex, with a wonderful freshness that just enlivens the wine. The tannins are tightly knit into the structure of the wine, not overly dominant, and the finish is long and intense.

Delicious with grilled sirloin with pepper sauce, great cheese and hearty vegatarian dishes.

The grapes are grown on the higher altitude terraced vineyards, handpicked and partially destemmed, before fermentation in concrete and oak tanks. After a period of ten months ageing in concrete vats, the wine is aged in large oak foudres for a period of ten months. It is then bottled without filtration.