Domaine du Clos des Tourelles 2019

Tasting notes and serving tips for Domaine du Clos des Tourelles 2019

Tasting

Appearance

The wine displays a deep red color with plum-hued highlights.

Nose

The nose is highly refined, revealing subtle notes of violet and pepper.

Palate

On the palate, the wine expresses great finesse with superb aromas of blackcurrant and licorice. The finish, long and very elegant, lingers harmoniously.

Food and wine pairings

This wine pairs perfectly with herb-roasted lamb with Herbes de Provence, duck with figs, or mushroom ravioli. It also matches beautifully with full-flavored aged cheeses.

Serving and cellaring

Domaine du Clos des Tourelles 2019 is best enjoyed at 16°C. This wine can be cellared until around 2039 if stored in good conditions.

An exceptional Gigondas, a refined expression of old Grenache vines from the Rhône Valley

The estate

Acquired in 2008 by the Perrin family, Domaine du Clos des Tourelles is a historic estate located in the heart of the village of Gigondas in the Rhône Valley. This 17th-century Provençal bastide, recognizable by its two iconic turrets, was the first building erected outside the village walls. Now run by Marc Perrin, the fifth generation of this winegrowing family present since 1909 at Château de Beaucastel, the estate spans ten hectares of vines. The domaine stands out for its unique clos located entirely within the village’s historic walls, a feature that makes it absolutely unique within the Gigondas appellation.

The vineyard

The vineyard of Domaine du Clos des Tourelles enjoys an exceptional location at the foot of the village of Gigondas. The clos, directly adjoining the estate, benefits from a north-west exposure that creates a cool microclimate, allowing for late harvesting. The limestone soils feature a very distinctive marl-sandy matrix. This unique terroir is home to old Grenache vines that thrive in these privileged conditions. The vineyard is farmed organically, thus respecting the principles that have guided the Perrin family for decades.

The vintage

The 2019 vintage began with early budbreak in early April, followed by a gradual flowering in favorable conditions. A scorching summer set in from late June, which the vines withstood bravely thanks in particular to the estate’s delicate interventions, such as spraying chamomile herbal infusions to help the vegetation cope with extreme heat. Water stress remained moderate. Harvesting took place without any particular earliness, following the estate’s usual schedule, enabling the grapes to reach optimal ripeness while preserving their natural freshness.

Winemaking and aging

The harvest date for Domaine du Clos des Tourelles 2019 was determined following very regular ripeness checks and berry tastings. The grapes were harvested by hand and the bunches, handled with the utmost care, were placed whole into vats. After a few days of maceration, fermentation started spontaneously with indigenous yeasts. Extraction was carried out mainly through gentle punch-downs. After pressing in a vertical press, the wines were aged for eighteen months in foudres, allowing slow micro-oxygenation and the gradual integration of the tannic structure.

Grape varieties

Grenache (80%), Syrah, Cinsault, Mourvèdre