Gigondas Le Pas de l'Aigle 2018,4004 (Pierre Amadieu)

Drink now or cellar for up to 10 years. No need to decant before serving. Founded in 1929, the family-owned Pierre Amadieu estate is one of the best kept secrets in the Rhone thanks to their modern-style Gigondas wines. The family have been growing grapes here for generations and have expanded their holdings from 7 hectares when the estate was first founded to around 140 hectares today. "Le Pas de l’Aigle" or "The Eagle’s Pass" is the name of the Amadieu family’s highest vineyard in the appellation of Gigondas. Conditions here are ideal for premium winemaking thanks to the cooling mountain breezes and north-north westerly exposure which helps to protect against the fierce summer sun. The plot has old Grenache and Syrah vines that were planted here some 50 years ago and produce tiny yields of very concentrated fruit. To ensure the fruit arrives at the winery in optimum condition it’s harvested aby hand before being fermented for one month on the skins to extract plenty of deep colour, and intense flavours. The young wine then ages in oak barrels for 24 months to fully integrate the different components and soften the punchy tannins. The bold flavour profile and well-built structure make this a great wine to cellar for a decade or two, although it can also be enjoyed now alongside a rich beef stew or roasted red meats.