James Suckling 90
Ripe yet fragrant, this Gigondas is packed with blackberry and black-cherry fruit, but also some nice, spicy notes and a hint of lavender. Very creamy and mouth-filling on the palate, but not a jot overdone. This is a good introduction to the appellation.
by James Suckling, JS, 2022.

Description
Brotte Gigondas "La Marasque", is a tribute to the unique cherry aromas of this wine. "La Marasque" is a high-quality cherry used in the production of the famous Marasquin cherry liquor. The grapes grow on soils covered by white limestone which reflect the sunlight and increase the vines exposure to the sun and develops rich tannins in the grape. The wine displays great richness, flavors of cherry liquor as well as black and red jammy fruit notes.

The village Gigondas received its cru status in 1971, one of only nine villages in the Southern Rhne to do so. Located between Orange and the Mont Ventoux the appellation spreads over the south-west facing hillsides of the Dentelles de Montmirail. The soils are composed of sand and blue marl clay. The vineyards can reach an altitude of 400m, which often means a late maturation of the berries.

Tasting notes
Color: Dark ruby
Nose: Good intensity with notes of spices, red stone fruits, vanilla, licorice and raisins.
Palate: Complex, powerful and generous with hints of cherry liquor, black and red fruit jam. This flamboyant wine shows perfect harmony between nose and palate.

Vinification
Sustainable viticulture is practiced along with harvesting by hand. Traditional vinification takes place with partially de-stemmed and a gentle crushed grapes. The maceration lasts 4 weeks with alcoholic fermentation at 28C in order to obtain a good extraction of the grape's substance and color. Following the malolactic fermentation, the wine is aged in 100 year old oak vats for 12 months, with a small percentage aging in new French oak barrels.

Food pairing
Enjoy with roasted meats, beef stew with carrots, poultry dishes, tuna steak in red wine sauce. This wine will also match spicy dishes such as Indian and Mexican cuisine.

History
LaMarasque : The name of a quality cherry, with acidity, renown for the making of Marasquin liqueur. A tribute to the unique cherry liqueur flavor of the cuve. The village Gigondas received its cru status in 1971, one of only nine villages in the Southern Rhne to do so. Located between Orange and the Mont Ventoux the appellation spreads over the south-west facing hillsides of the Dentelles de Montmirail, and its surrounding dales. Sand and blue marls are covered with white stones which increase sun exposure. The intensity of the latter develops the richness of tannins and polyphenols. This asset is crucial to the area as the vineyards can reach an altitude of 400m, which often means a late maturation of the berries.