CEPAGES
1/3 old vines Grenache, 1/3 Mourvèdre, 1/3 Syrah.
TERROIR
Age of the vines: 60 to 90+ years
The vines are located on three different types of soils:
- Alpine Diluvian large round stones (famously known as “galets roulés”), giving the wines backbone and structure;
- Urgonian limestones, essential for minerality;
- Sandy-clay soils from the Miocène, for finesse and elegance.
The plurality of these terroirs give the wines both very good balance and complexity.
Exposure: Mostly South-West
Altitude: 40-100 meters
VINIFICATION
100% hand harvest into small baskets with thorough sorting of the grapes. The Syrah is harvested twice in order to obtain optimum ripeness, followed by Grenache and then Mourvèdre.
The Cuvée des Générations Gaston Philippe is vinified in the same way as the Cuvée Tradition, only the initial blend and the ageing change. After having undergone an extremely thorough selection on the sorting table, the grapes are cooled down. The grapes are then blendedat vinification.While Grenache is the heart of the mixture, Syrah enhances wonderfully the aromatic potential. Moreover, Syrah neutralizes the tendency towards premature oxidation of the Grenache grapes. The final balance of the wine would not be nearly as good if the different varieties of grapes were fermented separately and only mixed later on. Usually all the stalks are removed, but some can sometimes be left according to the ripeness of the stalks and the grapes. The cap of grape skins is treaded down twice at the beginning of alcoholic fermentation, followed by recirculation in large stainless steel tanks. After alcoholic fermentation, the wine remains on the dregs for another 5 – 10 days and is then transferred by gravity into concrete barrels for malolactic fermentation. Depending on the harvest, the wine ages during 14 to 18 months in new oak barrels.
TASTING NOTES
The color is very dense, of a splendid deep purple ink. The wine expresses some roasted notes on the nose. On the palate, cassis and blackberry jam dominate. The finish is very long with some very well integrated tannins.
SERVICE
Best served at 18°C.
GARDE
You can enjoy this wine now, decanting it 3 to 4 hours before serving in order to give the exuberant aromas the opportunity to fully develop and to tame the young tannins the tannins. Stored in good conditions, the Gaston Philippe can easily wait patiently 20 to 30 years for the most memorable family dinners and special occasions.
ACCORDS
Noble dishes such as Steak Diane, Christmas Goose with chestnut stuffing, Hare “à la royale” (stuffed with pork and bacon), Deer “grand veneur” (in a pepper, gooseberry and cream sauce).
