Gigondas Romane Machotte Pierre Amadieu 2022

Gigondas Romane Machotte, Domaine Pierre Amadieu, Gigondas, Southern Rhone, France, 2022

Grapes: 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah, 45 year old vines, limestone/marl soils, hand picked, aged 12 months in foudres and oak barrels

Producer Tasting Note:

Flavours of black and red berries are enveloped in soft yet powerful tannins, mingling with scents of Provençal wild herbs (thyme, laurel and rosemary) It produces an aromatic bouquet, building to a long and spicy finish seasoned with black pepper.

Critics' Tasting Notes:

"Cask Sample - Tasted blind. A subtle floral note, with a dusty and earthy character on the nose. The palate is driven by a core of plump red fruits, firm and vertical tannins and a nice freshness beneath. A subtle mineral-earthy note alongside a cooling, fresh finish." Drink 2025-2031

16.5/20 points, Alistair Cooper MW, JancisRobinson.com, November 2023

"Still tightly coiled, this displays generous waves of ripe cherry and licorice root laced up with black tea tannins and ample iron. Showing plenty of lushness, this stays structured and poised, offering a long, taut finish, with mineral energy. Will evolve nicely with time in bottle. Grenache and Syrah"

91/100 points, Kristin Bieler, WINE SPECTATOR, October 2024

"While a bit closed at the first sniff, the 2022 Gigondas Romane Machotte opens in the glass, revealing aromas of smoke, oak, spices and Provence herbs. Medium to full-bodied, enrobing and supple, it's structured and a bit austere in the mid-palate, concluding with a long, mineral and licorice-inflicted finish. Give it 2-3 years to fully integrate its élevage." Drink 2024-2034

91+/100 points, Yohan Castaing, WINE ADVOCATE, October 2024

Estate: Since 1929, for three generations, the family domaine has been producing wines on the slopes of Mount Ventoux and in nearby Gigondas with vineyards spread over 137ha (at an altitude of between 230-500 m.a.s.l.), surrounded by 200ha of garrigue and holm oaks. Almost the only owner of these beautiful protected lands of the North-Eastern part of the Gigondas appellation, this exposure gives a perfect aeration to vines and avoids an excessive period of sunshine in full summer. It brings the wines freshness and allows a longer grapes’ maturation without risking drought or bitterness.

2022 was an exceptional vintage in the region, the best since 2019.

Food Match: Rich Beef stew with rosemary, or even a nougat glace with strawberry coulis!