2021 Famille Perrin Gigondas L'Argnee Vieilles Vignes

Famille Perrin's Gigondas L'Argnée Vieilles Vignes comes from a 1-hectare vineyard planted with vines over 130 years old, so pre-phylloxera! The yield is so low that only 1,500 bottles are produced annually, and all bottles are, of course, numbered. After hand-picking, the Grenache grape bunches are selected, destemmed, and crushed. After a short maceration period, temperature-controlled alcoholic fermentation with wild yeasts (native to the grapes) takes place in stainless steel tanks. After two weeks, the grapes are pressed, and the young wine is transferred to oak barrels and barriques to undergo malolactic fermentation and age. After 12 months, the wine is blended and bottled without fining or filtration. This entire process is largely carried out in accordance with organic and biodynamic regulations. Famille Perrin's Gigondas L'Argnée Vieilles Vignes has a deep, dark black-red color. The nose reveals aromas of black cherries, raspberries, lavender, leather, and a hint of cedar. The palate reveals notes of ripe berry fruit, mocha, undergrowth, and black pepper, followed by a very long, lingering finish with exceptionally refined tannins and elegant acidity.

ABOUT PERRIN

Say Perrin, and you think of the magical Château de Beaucastel and the captivating Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a wine sought after the world over. Beaucastel has existed since the early 17th century, but it wasn't until 1909, when the Perrin family became owners, that the then 100-hectare estate underwent a true transformation. More than a century later, and now in its fifth generation, the Perrin empire has grown to 325 hectares of vineyards, the vast majority of which are privately owned. Following their success in Châteauneuf, the family began acquiring other plots in the southern Rhône. Today, they operate in the Côtes du Rhône Villages, Vinsobres, Cairanne, Rasteau, Gigondas, Vacqueyras, even Beaumes-de-Venise and Tavel, and for the past few months, in the Côtes de Provence with Château Miraval, the joint venture between Perrin and Jolie-Pitt (Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie). Each of these plots is ideally situated, a maximum of 45 minutes from their home base of Orange, allowing for daily inspections. The family's current success is largely due to the late Jacques Perrin, a third-generation winemaker, a true "biodynamicist" before his time. His philosophy? Good wine is made by allowing the grapes to flourish in the best possible natural conditions. And so it was, as all chemical fertilizers and herbicides were banned from the vineyards as early as 1964. In the cellar, too, nothing is left to chance. The Perrins built a state-of-the-art winery on the nearby La Vieille Ferme estate, equipped with all the latest technology. But the family will go down in history as the masters of blending. This is undoubtedly the Perrins' great secret: they are convinced that blending the right grapes in the right quantities produces better wines. Something the family still does every year. Over the course of five generations, the Perrin family has acquired several vineyards with the finest terroirs in the southern Rhône Valley. These vineyards are managed and vinified according to the same principles and conviction as Château de Beaucastel. Within the 'Famille Perrin' range, you can discover the riches of the southern Rhône Valley through various renowned appellations such as Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Vinsobres, Cairanne, and Rasteau. Here too, the authenticity and essence of the terroir are central to all wines.