A true whopper, and one of the great examples I have tasted from Yves Gras is his 2009 Gigondas Prestige Les Hautes Garrigues. It possesses 16.5% natural alcohol, and the level of concentration is remarkable. Inky purple to the rim, this wine, which is aged 20% in new oak casks and the rest in older wood and foudres, has a stunning nose of lead pencil shavings, incense, camphor, barbecue smoke, blackberry, cassis and kirsch. Its smorgasbord of aromas follow through in the mouth. A blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Mourvedre, with ripe Mourvedre giving structure and a meaty complexity to the wine, this is a massive Gigondas that will hit its stride in 2-3 years, and last for two decades. I am not exaggerating its aging potential, as I still have bottles of the 1989 Prestige Les Hautes Garrigues that are fully mature, but gorgeous. One of the long-time benchmarks for superb Gigondas is Yves Gras’ estate on the high plateau several kilometers outside the entrance to this old Roman village. He has also expanded into the negociant end of the business with his Santa Duc Selections, which are very reliable wines worth a serious look. Until 2007, there were consistently two cuvees of Gigondas made in top vintages. With the finest vintages, Gras has now added a 100% Grenache cuvee called Grand Grenache 66, from a tiny parcel of vines and essentially just one small foudre. Turning back to the basic wines, they offer good value and are top-flight wines. The newest baby for Yves Gras comes from his purchase of 1.23 hectares (essentially about 3+ acres) of old vines planted with 100% Grenache in the Chateauneuf du Pape lieu-dit in the very north known as Font du Loup.Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083
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