Pierre Amadieu 'Les Capelets' Saint Joseph 2016 - Gigondas France
$68
$90
This is Great……and Here’s Why!
92/100 Wine Advocate (2015 vintage)92/100 Wine Spectator (2015 vintage)
89-92/100 Robert Parker (2015 vintage)
15.5/20 Le Point (2015 vintage)
91/100 Vinbladet.dk (2015 vintage)
Jeb Dunnuck "...a charmer, with pretty red and black fruits, hints of violets, pepper, and lavender, medium body, and a light yet juicy texture."
Wine Advocate "Notes of campfire and kiln-dried lumber mark the nose, but there’s solid blueberry and raspberry fruit underneath in this medium to full-bodied wine. Hints of bitter chocolate and espresso creep in on the finish."
Wine Spectator - French Beauties, Global Values "Crushed plum, boysenberry, fig, graphite, tobacco; dense, mouthfilling" (2015 vintage)
James Molesworth "This delivers a gorgeous, mouthfilling beam of crushed plum, boysenberry and fig fruit, backed by broad waves of graphite and tobacco. Dense but defined, with the beautiful fruit profile of the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2030. 2,000 cases made." (2015 vintage)
Wine Advocate "It has a beautiful, fruit forward and medium to full-bodied style to go with classic notes of crushed violets, smoked earth and ample black and blue fruits. It’s a downright classy, elegant, seamless beauty that will shine with a few years of bottle age." (2015 vintage)
The Winemaker “...aromas of blackcurrant and raspberry are nuanced with leather and liquorice notes as the wine ages. On the palate there are subtle flavours of red fruit and violet, developing powerful animal and mineral notes with a hint of cocoa and liquorice: a harmonious blend of elegance, intense aromas and silky tannins.”
The Winemaker "The manual harvest of the 'Les Capelets' Saint Joseph starts after a tasting of the grapes has revealed their perfect ripeness. A controlled-temperature fermentation in stainless steel tanks reveals the mouth-filling, fruity notes typical of the Syrah grape. A 12 months ageing, including 70% infoudres and 30% in barrels, enhances the balance between colour, structure and aromas by adding roundness and silkiness."
Niels Ehler "Warm, floral and well-developed fragrance that is delicate and rewarding. Beautifully balanced with subdued oak and excellent minerality. Dense, youthful mouthfeel with good acid balance and adequate concentration. Delicate and with appealing aroma richness. Well-built tannin structure and excellent juiciness that continues nicely into the aftertaste." (2015 vintage)
Vinum Wine Magazine "Spicy aromas, herbal; has great resilience and lively, at most slightly bitter tannins, persistent finish with the necessary freshness; reliable if it can still mature a little." (2018 Vintage)
Wine Spectator "This delivers a gorgeous, mouthfilling beam of crushed plum, boysenberry and fig fruit, backed by broad waves of graphite and tobacco. Dense but defined, with the beautiful fruit profile of the vintage." (2015 Vintage)
Wine Spectator "Pierre Amadieu - The Gentle Giant of Gigondas"
Wine Spectator "Pierre Amadieu's estate is Gigondas' largest vineyard holder, with 320 acres of vines (roughly 11 per cent of the appellation). Pierre's grandfather (also named Pierre) started the company in 1929 with just 17 acres of vines. As the business grew, Amadieu's grandfather purchased the Romane Machotte estate in 1950, a 316-acre tract of land; then mostly wooded hillsides and olive groves, it now forms the backbone of the estate. Pierre's father, Jean-Pierre, and uncle Claude continued the family tradition until the younger, quietly serious Pierre Amadieu, now 41, joined the family company in 1990, after a training period at Château La Nerthe with Alain Dugas. By 2003, Pierre had assumed full control of the company."
Pierre Amadieu is a highly regarded winery founded in 1929 by the current owner’s grandfather, who made wines from his 7 hectares of vineyards in Gigondas. It was one of the first wineries to print the name of the appellation on its bottles, and within three years of establishment, Pierre Amadieu had established its reputation, winning a gold medal in the National Agricultural Concours of Paris; one of the most prestigious wine awards at the time. Generations on, the present Pierre Amadieu - owner and winemaker continue the tradition. He is not a follower of over-extracted wines; instead, he strives to obtain well-balanced wines with all the elegance and the richness of his protected terroir located on the heights of the appellation Gigondas.
Pierre Amadieu is the largest estate of Gigondas with 137 ha of vines (338 acres), surrounded by 200 ha of garrigue and holm oaks which assure natural protection for the vineyard. The management of the vineyard and the winemaking process are increasingly single-vineyard oriented.
Gigondas is a village in the southern Rhône valley and an appellation for red and rosé wines. Both colors are made from up to 80 percent Grenache (according to the appellation laws), with at least 15 percent comprised of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Any Gigondas wine may have a maximum of 10 percent of any variety sanctioned by the standard red Côtes du Rhône appellation laws, with the exception of Carignan.
Southern Rhone Red Blend refers to a wide range of grape varieties often blended together to make wines in the southern reaches of the Rhone Valley in the south of France. While the blend could theoretically consist of any of a wide range of grape varieties, it is usually made up of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, in varying proportions, typically with Grenache and Syrah as the dominant partners.
The Rhone Valley is one of France's key wine regions, and is divided neatly by a gap of about 25 miles (40km). Wines from the northern part of the valley tend to be Syrah-dominant (Hermitage and Cote Rotie being the most notable examples), while wines from the southern Rhone are more commonly blends, with Grenache playing a more dominant role. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous example of a southern Rhone blend, but similar blends are found in wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras and the regional Cotes du Rhone title.
Syrah 100%
Syrah is a dark-skinned red grape, known for producing very full-bodied wine with strong fruit flavors. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, overwhelmingly but not exclusively known as Shiraz.
92/100 Wine Advocate (2015 vintage)
92/100 Wine Spectator (2015 vintage)
89-92/100 Robert Parker (2015 vintage)
15.5/20 Le Point (2015 vintage)
91/100 Vinbladet.dk (2015 vintage)
Jeb Dunnuck "...a charmer, with pretty red and black fruits, hints of violets, pepper, and lavender, medium body, and a light yet juicy texture."
Wine Advocate "Notes of campfire and kiln-dried lumber mark the nose, but there’s solid blueberry and raspberry fruit underneath in this medium to full-bodied wine. Hints of bitter chocolate and espresso creep in on the finish."
Wine Spectator - French Beauties, Global Values "Crushed plum, boysenberry, fig, graphite, tobacco; dense, mouthfilling" (2015 vintage)
James Molesworth "This delivers a gorgeous, mouthfilling beam of crushed plum, boysenberry and fig fruit, backed by broad waves of graphite and tobacco. Dense but defined, with the beautiful fruit profile of the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2030. 2,000 cases made." (2015 vintage)
Wine Advocate "It has a beautiful, fruit forward and medium to full-bodied style to go with classic notes of crushed violets, smoked earth and ample black and blue fruits. It’s a downright classy, elegant, seamless beauty that will shine with a few years of bottle age." (2015 vintage)
The Winemaker “...aromas of blackcurrant and raspberry are nuanced with leather and liquorice notes as the wine ages. On the palate there are subtle flavours of red fruit and violet, developing powerful animal and mineral notes with a hint of cocoa and liquorice: a harmonious blend of elegance, intense aromas and silky tannins.”
The Winemaker "The manual harvest of the 'Les Capelets' Saint Joseph starts after a tasting of the grapes has revealed their perfect ripeness. A controlled-temperature fermentation in stainless steel tanks reveals the mouth-filling, fruity notes typical of the Syrah grape. A 12 months ageing, including 70% infoudres and 30% in barrels, enhances the balance between colour, structure and aromas by adding roundness and silkiness."
Niels Ehler "Warm, floral and well-developed fragrance that is delicate and rewarding. Beautifully balanced with subdued oak and excellent minerality. Dense, youthful mouthfeel with good acid balance and adequate concentration. Delicate and with appealing aroma richness. Well-built tannin structure and excellent juiciness that continues nicely into the aftertaste." (2015 vintage)
Vinum Wine Magazine "Spicy aromas, herbal; has great resilience and lively, at most slightly bitter tannins, persistent finish with the necessary freshness; reliable if it can still mature a little." (2018 Vintage)
Wine Spectator "This delivers a gorgeous, mouthfilling beam of crushed plum, boysenberry and fig fruit, backed by broad waves of graphite and tobacco. Dense but defined, with the beautiful fruit profile of the vintage." (2015 Vintage)
Wine Spectator "Pierre Amadieu - The Gentle Giant of Gigondas"
Wine Spectator "Pierre Amadieu's estate is Gigondas' largest vineyard holder, with 320 acres of vines (roughly 11 per cent of the appellation). Pierre's grandfather (also named Pierre) started the company in 1929 with just 17 acres of vines. As the business grew, Amadieu's grandfather purchased the Romane Machotte estate in 1950, a 316-acre tract of land; then mostly wooded hillsides and olive groves, it now forms the backbone of the estate. Pierre's father, Jean-Pierre, and uncle Claude continued the family tradition until the younger, quietly serious Pierre Amadieu, now 41, joined the family company in 1990, after a training period at Château La Nerthe with Alain Dugas. By 2003, Pierre had assumed full control of the company."
Pierre Amadieu is a highly regarded winery founded in 1929 by the current owner’s grandfather, who made wines from his 7 hectares of vineyards in Gigondas. It was one of the first wineries to print the name of the appellation on its bottles, and within three years of establishment, Pierre Amadieu had established its reputation, winning a gold medal in the National Agricultural Concours of Paris; one of the most prestigious wine awards at the time. Generations on, the present Pierre Amadieu - owner and winemaker continue the tradition. He is not a follower of over-extracted wines; instead, he strives to obtain well-balanced wines with all the elegance and the richness of his protected terroir located on the heights of the appellation Gigondas.
Pierre Amadieu is the largest estate of Gigondas with 137 ha of vines (338 acres), surrounded by 200 ha of garrigue and holm oaks which assure natural protection for the vineyard. The management of the vineyard and the winemaking process are increasingly single-vineyard oriented.
Gigondas is a village in the southern Rhône valley and an appellation for red and rosé wines. Both colors are made from up to 80 percent Grenache (according to the appellation laws), with at least 15 percent comprised of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Any Gigondas wine may have a maximum of 10 percent of any variety sanctioned by the standard red Côtes du Rhône appellation laws, with the exception of Carignan.
Southern Rhone Red Blend refers to a wide range of grape varieties often blended together to make wines in the southern reaches of the Rhone Valley in the south of France. While the blend could theoretically consist of any of a wide range of grape varieties, it is usually made up of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, in varying proportions, typically with Grenache and Syrah as the dominant partners.
The Rhone Valley is one of France's key wine regions, and is divided neatly by a gap of about 25 miles (40km). Wines from the northern part of the valley tend to be Syrah-dominant (Hermitage and Cote Rotie being the most notable examples), while wines from the southern Rhone are more commonly blends, with Grenache playing a more dominant role. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous example of a southern Rhone blend, but similar blends are found in wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras and the regional Cotes du Rhone title.
Syrah 100%
Syrah is a dark-skinned red grape, known for producing very full-bodied wine with strong fruit flavors. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, overwhelmingly but not exclusively known as Shiraz.
92/100 Wine Spectator (2015 vintage)
89-92/100 Robert Parker (2015 vintage)
15.5/20 Le Point (2015 vintage)
91/100 Vinbladet.dk (2015 vintage)
Jeb Dunnuck "...a charmer, with pretty red and black fruits, hints of violets, pepper, and lavender, medium body, and a light yet juicy texture."
Wine Advocate "Notes of campfire and kiln-dried lumber mark the nose, but there’s solid blueberry and raspberry fruit underneath in this medium to full-bodied wine. Hints of bitter chocolate and espresso creep in on the finish."
Wine Spectator - French Beauties, Global Values "Crushed plum, boysenberry, fig, graphite, tobacco; dense, mouthfilling" (2015 vintage)
James Molesworth "This delivers a gorgeous, mouthfilling beam of crushed plum, boysenberry and fig fruit, backed by broad waves of graphite and tobacco. Dense but defined, with the beautiful fruit profile of the vintage. Best from 2020 through 2030. 2,000 cases made." (2015 vintage)
Wine Advocate "It has a beautiful, fruit forward and medium to full-bodied style to go with classic notes of crushed violets, smoked earth and ample black and blue fruits. It’s a downright classy, elegant, seamless beauty that will shine with a few years of bottle age." (2015 vintage)
The Winemaker “...aromas of blackcurrant and raspberry are nuanced with leather and liquorice notes as the wine ages. On the palate there are subtle flavours of red fruit and violet, developing powerful animal and mineral notes with a hint of cocoa and liquorice: a harmonious blend of elegance, intense aromas and silky tannins.”
The Winemaker "The manual harvest of the 'Les Capelets' Saint Joseph starts after a tasting of the grapes has revealed their perfect ripeness. A controlled-temperature fermentation in stainless steel tanks reveals the mouth-filling, fruity notes typical of the Syrah grape. A 12 months ageing, including 70% infoudres and 30% in barrels, enhances the balance between colour, structure and aromas by adding roundness and silkiness."
Niels Ehler "Warm, floral and well-developed fragrance that is delicate and rewarding. Beautifully balanced with subdued oak and excellent minerality. Dense, youthful mouthfeel with good acid balance and adequate concentration. Delicate and with appealing aroma richness. Well-built tannin structure and excellent juiciness that continues nicely into the aftertaste." (2015 vintage)
Vinum Wine Magazine "Spicy aromas, herbal; has great resilience and lively, at most slightly bitter tannins, persistent finish with the necessary freshness; reliable if it can still mature a little." (2018 Vintage)
Wine Spectator "This delivers a gorgeous, mouthfilling beam of crushed plum, boysenberry and fig fruit, backed by broad waves of graphite and tobacco. Dense but defined, with the beautiful fruit profile of the vintage." (2015 Vintage)
Wine Spectator "Pierre Amadieu - The Gentle Giant of Gigondas"
Wine Spectator "Pierre Amadieu's estate is Gigondas' largest vineyard holder, with 320 acres of vines (roughly 11 per cent of the appellation). Pierre's grandfather (also named Pierre) started the company in 1929 with just 17 acres of vines. As the business grew, Amadieu's grandfather purchased the Romane Machotte estate in 1950, a 316-acre tract of land; then mostly wooded hillsides and olive groves, it now forms the backbone of the estate. Pierre's father, Jean-Pierre, and uncle Claude continued the family tradition until the younger, quietly serious Pierre Amadieu, now 41, joined the family company in 1990, after a training period at Château La Nerthe with Alain Dugas. By 2003, Pierre had assumed full control of the company."
Pierre Amadieu is a highly regarded winery founded in 1929 by the current owner’s grandfather, who made wines from his 7 hectares of vineyards in Gigondas. It was one of the first wineries to print the name of the appellation on its bottles, and within three years of establishment, Pierre Amadieu had established its reputation, winning a gold medal in the National Agricultural Concours of Paris; one of the most prestigious wine awards at the time. Generations on, the present Pierre Amadieu - owner and winemaker continue the tradition. He is not a follower of over-extracted wines; instead, he strives to obtain well-balanced wines with all the elegance and the richness of his protected terroir located on the heights of the appellation Gigondas.
Pierre Amadieu is the largest estate of Gigondas with 137 ha of vines (338 acres), surrounded by 200 ha of garrigue and holm oaks which assure natural protection for the vineyard. The management of the vineyard and the winemaking process are increasingly single-vineyard oriented.
Gigondas is a village in the southern Rhône valley and an appellation for red and rosé wines. Both colors are made from up to 80 percent Grenache (according to the appellation laws), with at least 15 percent comprised of Syrah and Mourvèdre. Any Gigondas wine may have a maximum of 10 percent of any variety sanctioned by the standard red Côtes du Rhône appellation laws, with the exception of Carignan.
Southern Rhone Red Blend refers to a wide range of grape varieties often blended together to make wines in the southern reaches of the Rhone Valley in the south of France. While the blend could theoretically consist of any of a wide range of grape varieties, it is usually made up of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, in varying proportions, typically with Grenache and Syrah as the dominant partners.
The Rhone Valley is one of France's key wine regions, and is divided neatly by a gap of about 25 miles (40km). Wines from the northern part of the valley tend to be Syrah-dominant (Hermitage and Cote Rotie being the most notable examples), while wines from the southern Rhone are more commonly blends, with Grenache playing a more dominant role. Chateauneuf-du-Pape is the most famous example of a southern Rhone blend, but similar blends are found in wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras and the regional Cotes du Rhone title.
Syrah 100%
Syrah is a dark-skinned red grape, known for producing very full-bodied wine with strong fruit flavors. Its origins have been popularly debated, but its modern viticultural home is unquestionably the northern Rhône Valley of eastern France. In Australia, Syrah is the flagship variety and has developed such a distinct personality that it is essentially regarded as a distinct variety, overwhelmingly but not exclusively known as Shiraz.