Since 1996, we have been looking after the estate : Having become “wine-growers per chance”, we have come to love our destiny and have endeavoured to give the Chateau Gigognan back its letters of nobility.
As owners of an estate boasting great potential, we have surrounded ourselves with a team that is efficient and loyal.
Fully convinced of the quality of the estate’s wines and the exceptional beauty of the place, we have great ambitions for Gigognan:
Renovation and restoration works have been carried out since the acquisition of the vineyard and the castle. In 2007, work was undertaken in the south wing. This project has resulted in the refined and sophisticated construction of private apartments and a bed-and-breakfast since January 2011.
The opportunity to combine wine with tourism, offering pleasure to all.
Chateau Gigognan History:
At the heart of the Valley of the Rhone, 10 minutes from Châteauneuf du Pape, Château Gigognan is the heir of a deeply rooted history that dates back to the time of roman colonisation.
A spiritual and temporal lordship: The estate quickly becomes a fiefdom which formed a principality with Châteauneuf du Pape and Bédarrides, one governed by the archbishops of Avignon.
During the 17th and 18th century, the administration of Gigognan was entrusted to Lords from Provence by the archbishops of Avignon. Its prosperity gave it the title of a village with the rank of a municipality.
Since 1996, the castle knows a true rebirth thanks to Jacques Callet. Having been completely renovated, it was given back the charm of the great manors of Provence.
In 2012, a new team of expert professionals is brought together. The vineyard knows an unprecedented renewal and is the object of investments to reinforce the excellence of the estate’s wines.
Know How:To produce great wines on exceptional terroirs means to continue writing a few pages of an illustrious wealth, an almost mystical responsibility towards the work of our ancestors, and one we prepare for generations to come.
It is in this spirit that the teams have worked, inspired by the dynamism of our young Maître de Chai, the expertise of Mr Bouachon, a great specialist of blends and Mr. Philippe Cambie, who was awarded the title of "best oenologist in the world" in 2010 by Robert Parker. The vinification process is entirely dedicated to revealing the secret relationship between the terroir and the wine grape varietals.
"Offering the quintessence of our vineyards, fruit of the full maturity of our grapes for a phenomenal gustative experience” is the remarkable leitmotiv of this team of young demanding and passionate professionals who audaciously advocate the principle of perpetual questioning as a method of progress.
Today, all are intimately committed to this method which relies on apparently contradictory qualities: an ambition to enable the terroir to express all the subtleties of its potential and humility, and an indispensible feature to practice and maintain the philosophy of “constant quality improvement” which drives the Château Gigognan forward.
Chateau Gigognan Vineyards:
Exposed to the weather and particularly to the Mistral for more than 100 days a year, the vineyard is located in one of the driest zones of the Valley of the Rhone, on the southern part of the estate. It benefits from over 2 800 hours of sunshine per year, but it is at night that the "caïau frejaü*" give back the heat stored all day long, just like an oven.
The homogeneity of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard located on an exceptional terroir is very representative of those who have contributed to the reputation of the estate (a single plot of 25 hectares with several other plots nearby). The Côtes du Rhône vineyard is located in a small valley.
The choice of the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, Roussane and Viognier varietals has imposed itself given the particularities of the climatic and geologic conditions of the vineyard.
The restructuring of the vineyard undertaken over the past years, which has seen the planting of 20 000 stocks on 30 Châteauneuf du Pape hectares has allowed keep the old grapevines and to develop the aromatic complexities.
Chateau Gigognan Cellar:
2012, the Château Gigognan takes a new important step in its history with the arrival of a new team of directors, the input of Philippe Cambie, internationally renowned oenologist as an advisor and the undertaking of important tasks to make this emblematic territory absolutely sublime; a new direction was taken to adopt wines of great quality.
Organic:
onversion to organic agriculture has been undertaken and the Ecocert certification was awarded for whole estate in 2010.
This recognition underlines the requirements of quality and environmental responsibility which drive the estate. The priority of the teams is to favour the balance and the ecosystems of the different terroirs to enable the vineyard to develop natural defences against different bacterial or climatic aggressions and to support mineralisation of organic material.
The main efforts are concentrated on an essential objective: taking all measures necessary to ensure the organoleptic quality of our grapes, an essential condition in order to ensure the elaboration of great wines.
The manual harvest is done at full maturity according to a double phase, which offers the benefit of optimal richness and concentration.
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W & J Graham's Vintage Port 2016 is made from 37% Touriga Nacional, 42% Touriga Franca and various others.
Like most parts of the world, the Douro has not been isolated from the effects of climate change, and unusual weather conditions over recent years have often departed from those typically associated with classic vintage years. Fortunately, in 2016 the stars aligned and the year brought superbly structured and balanced wines, allowing Graham's to announce a full vintage declaration.
The 2016 is a classic expression of the Graham's style: concentrated and opulent with layers of fresh, ripe, black fruit flavors. Aromas of mint and eucalyptus with chocolate notes. The Graham 2016 combines superb complexity, structure and balance.
Reviews:
Extremely complex aromas that show the classic Graham character of black-fruit marmalade and burnt oranges. Follows through to a full body with great grip at the finish. Lightly sweet. Chewy and powerful. Such a focus at the end.
-James Suckling 99 Points
This is lush and captivating in feel, with a velvety flow to the mix of plum, blackberry, boysenberry and açai berry compote flavors. A bold streak of licorice runs through the finish, underscored by a brambly note that imparts balance. A stunning display of fruit. Best from 2030 through 2050.
-Wine Spectator 98 Points
Super-ripe with an expressive plum and dark chocolate aroma. Rich opulence backed by dark chocolate intensity and spicy tannic grip – big and bold on the finish. Voluptuous with fabulous richness, big and bold on the finish. This is one for the long haul but it’s already very impressive.
-Decanter 98 Points
Crianza is the essential wine. Balance and integrity. It displays the fine manners of experience and the grace of plethoric vine. Juicy black fruit on the palate inviting you to eat well and feel good.
But there is more. Crianza maintains an invisible pact with the landscape. An imperceptible force that brings us closer to the truth of the place. And instantly turns extreme climate vineyards into the most welcoming place in the world.
Prepared with Tempranillo grapes (100%), this wine has a very bright, intense maraschino cherry colour that fades to a Cardinal red rim.
It has a very marked aroma with a good balance of fruit and wood, where tones of vanilla intermingle with well-ripened fruit, black berries and wild fruits. There are also noticeable hints of leather and liquorice, resulting from the mingling of the French oak and the aromas inherent in this variety of grape.
In the mouth, the wine has a smooth texture but fills the palate with balanced flavours, including fine tannins, which help extend the life of the wine. The finish and aftertaste are both long and elegant.
Vineyard:
Pago de los Capellanes, Pedrosa de Duero.
Variety composition:
100% Tempranillo.
Type of soil:
Clayey and chalky.
Aging:
12 months in barrel and remainder on rack.
Type of oak:
100% French oak, medium toast.
Serving:
Uncork and decant one hour before serving at a temperature of 16-18 ºC.
Selected harvest with yields limited to 5000 kg per hectare. The harvest begins in early October, starting with the most mature parcels. Once the grapes are brought into the winery, the tanks are seeded with indigenous yeast (start culture) and the alcoholic fermentation begins. During the barrelling period, which lasts 30 days, the wine is crushed and pumped over daily, all the while controlling the density, temperature and evolution of the yeast. At the end of this fermentation, the tanks are emptied and the wine taken for malolactic fermentation.
The malolactic fermentation begins without the addition of bacteria. The temperature is held steady at 20ºC for period of 22 days, during which we monitor the levels of malic and lactic acids. When the malic acid content is less than 0.1 grams per litre, the wine is decanted to separate the lees and is transferred directly to the barrels without undergoing any type of filtration, clarification or cold treatment.
The wine is aged for twelve months in new and semi-new French oak barrels (no more than three years old). At the end of this period, it is taken to the tank for homogenisation, where it undergoes light filtration through cartridges (open pore) and is then bottled.