Domaine Raspail-Ay 2020 Gigondas 750ml

Could the 2020 Gigondas be the best ever from this estate? The usual blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and 10% Mourvèdre that was destemmed and brought up in very old foudre, it has wonderful purity (which is a trait of the vintage) in its red and black fruits as well as notes of ground pepper, Provençal garrigue, and cedary spice. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, this is never the biggest or richest wine in the vintage yet it oozes Provence character, is perfectly balanced, has great tannins, and is going to deliver the goods for upwards of two decades.

Score: 93-95 points -- Jeb Dunnock, jebdunnock.com, 2022

Christophe Ay and his sister Anne-Sophie represent the seventh generation at this venerable family-run estate. Owners of 19 hectares in Gigondas, they produce only Gigondas, and only a single cuvée each year. Plantings are 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre, all on the plain in front of the village, not on any of the high-elevation sites in the Dentelles. The grapes are all destemmed, then fermented in vats using indigenous yeasts before élevage in old foudres for at least two years. Christophe points out that the mildew attack in May-June 2018 left small yields of only 15-16 hectoliters per hectare, but the resulting wines have good acidity and long aging potential. He compares it to 2015 or 2007 (both excellent vintages at this address).