PIERRE AMADIEU, LE PAS DE L'AIGLE, GRAND RESERVE, GIGONDAS

RHONE VALLEY, FRANCE 2015

In a vintage of historically epic quality like 2015, the Rhone produced a plethora of stunning wines of monumental power and depth. As Antonio Galloni notes, “If there was ever a southern Rhone vintage worth going wide and long on, ’15 is a winning bet.” But true beauty in this vintage lies in more than brute strength, as the most magical wines display a compelling richness and intensity while maintaining their sense of place. In a region and vintage prone to over-ripeness and excess, it’s wines that were able to emphasize their distinct power and depth, while maintaining balance, complexity and finesse that truly shined. Today’s wine from Gigondas is one such wine: a sports car rather than a monster truck of a wine, there’s no producer who expresses the region's legendary qualities quite like Pierre Amadieu. With a forward bouquet of blackberries, earth and toasted spice that is deeply satisfying, his 2015 ‘Le Pas de l’Aigle’ defines attention-grabbing and cellar-worthy. 
 

A favorite of ours here at Concierge Sales, Pierre Amadieu is among the top domains in Gigondas, yet in the states he remains fairly under-the-radar. Founded in the beginning of the 20th century by Pierre’s grandfather, the estate has expanded over the years to 137 ha of vines, with the bulk of the property sitting on the hillside just below the Dentelles de Montmirail. Sourced from their highest vineyard known as the Eagle’s pass, their Le Pas de l’Aigle expresses all the complexity of the vineyard. Old vines of Grenache and Syrah have been growing here for over half a century, with each vine producing less than one bottle of wine. Exuding concentration and balance, the wine is a result of meticulous selection, patience and time. The grapes are manually harvested followed by one month of fermentation where the grape skins are regularly soaked to carefully extract richness and power. For 24 months the wine is aged in 100hl oak casks allowing the wine to subtly integrate, revealing complex aromas, flavors and an overall sense of finesse. The palate is velvety with delicate red fruit mingling with intensity and power. Perfect for a beef stew or truffle pate, this wine is absolutely stunning now but will develop beautifully over the next 20 years. As standards are high for this single cru, “Le Pas de l’Aigle" is not made in every vintage and every time we’ve tasted this stunning wine, it consistently over-delivers. So if you’re looking for a cellar worthy collectible, for a price that won’t break the bank, this is hands down the best buy you can find. Buy up as much as you can get, I guarantee you won’t regret it.