Notes:
- Domaine Santa Duc has been a cornerstone of Gigondas since 1874, with six generations of the Gras family farming the region's rugged hillsides. The estate rose to international prominence under Yves Gras, who transformed Santa Duc into one of the benchmark producers of the Southern Rhône. Today, his son Benjamin Gras continues that legacy, bringing experience gained from prestigious stages at Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and Vega Sicilia while refining the wines toward greater precision and elegance.
- Les Hautes Garrigues is the domaine's flagship vineyard and represents the family's original holdings in Gigondas. The vineyard sits on the historic Cône de la Font des Papes, an ancient alluvial fan formed by deposits from the Dentelles de Montmirail. The terroir consists of red clay, sand, and coarse gravel layered over deeper blue clay, creating a naturally draining environment that encourages deep root systems and concentrated fruit.
- The vines average approximately 75 years of age, with old-vine Grenache and Mourvèdre planted in nearly equal proportions. These mature vines produce naturally low yields, delivering exceptional concentration, structure, and complexity while maintaining freshness. Mourvèdre plays an unusually important role in the blend, contributing spice, savory notes, and the firm tannic backbone that gives the wine its remarkable aging potential.
- Santa Duc farms organically and biodynamically, with Demeter certification. Vineyard work is focused on preserving biodiversity and encouraging deep vine roots that fully express the terroir. The estate believes that healthy soils and minimal intervention are essential to producing wines that faithfully reflect Gigondas' unique character.
- Winemaking is both traditional and meticulous. Grapes are hand-harvested, rigorously sorted, and partially destemmed depending on the vintage. Fermentations occur naturally and can last up to 30 days. Aging takes place for approximately 18 months in a combination of large Stockinger oak foudres and clay amphorae, a technique that preserves purity and texture while avoiding excessive oak influence. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration.
- Aromatically, the wine offers layers of black cherry, cassis, blackberry, violet, licorice, smoke, and the wild herbs known as garrigue that define the Southern Rhône. The palate is full-bodied yet remarkably energetic, combining dark fruit richness with mineral tension, silky tannins, and a long, spice-driven finish.
- Les Hautes Garrigues is widely regarded as one of the greatest wines of Gigondas and often delivers a level of complexity that rivals far more expensive Châteauneuf-du-Pape bottlings. While approachable today, its structure, old-vine concentration, and Mourvèdre-driven backbone should allow it to evolve beautifully for 15–20 years or more, developing additional layers of earth, leather, spice, and savory complexity.
Santa Duc Gigondas "Les Hautes Garrigues" 2020
Sale price$89.00
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Santa Duc Gigondas "Les Hautes Garrigues" 2020
Sale price$89.00