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2013 Gigondas “Les Racines”
Domaine Les Pallières
On a cold January morning, I stood in the Racines vineyard after a tasting at Domaine Les Pallières. Daniel Brunier, co-proprietor at Pallières, was explaining the significance of the soil types and the old-vine Grenache that make this vineyard so unique. There’s nothing like a vigneron’s words to help with your understanding of wine. Les Racines has a deep core of dark berry fruits, notes of licorice, or réglisse, and a concentrated texture that conveys power with silkiness. If you’re searching for greatness in Gigondas, here’s where to find it.
**Extremely limited quantities, limit four bottles per order**
—Steve Waters
Wine Type: | red |
Vintage: | 2013 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | 80% Grenache, 15% Syrah – Cinsault (co-planted), 5% Clairette |
Appellation: | Gigondas |
Country: | France |
Region: | Southern Rhône |
Producer: | Les Pallières |
Winemaker: | Frédéric & Daniel Brunier |
Vineyard: | 65 years average |
Soil: | Red sandy clay, Limestone, Scree |
Aging: | Ages in cuves for 10 months, then in foudres for 7-9 months |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 14.5% |
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About The Producer
Les Pallières
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Kermit once said...

Kermit once said...
I want you to realize once and for all: Even the winemaker does not know what aging is going to do to a new vintage; Robert Parker does not know; I do not know. We all make educated (hopefully) guesses about what the future will bring, but guesses they are. And one of the pleasures of a wine cellar is the opportunity it provides for you to witness the evolution of your various selections. Living wines have ups and downs just as people do, periods of glory and dog days, too. If wine did not remind me of real life, I would not care about it so much.
Inspiring Thirst, page 171