Domaine La Grosse Pierre - La Grosse Pierre Chiroubles 2018
Price: $21.25
Sale Price: $18.99
Producer | Domaine La Grosse Pierre |
Country | France |
Region | Beaujolais |
Subregion | Chiroubles |
Varietal | Gamay |
Vintage | 2018 |
Sku | 05552 |
Domaine La Grosse Pierre Description
Pauline Passot comes form a winemaking family—the Passot family has been growers in Chiroubles for years. But she did not at first follow this tradition. In her studies she obtained a degree in marketing, and then became sommelier at the Michelin star restaurant Pierre Orsi in Lyon. It was here that she realized, in relation to more famous wines, there was much to be proud of in the potential of Chiroubles, and that she needed to make these wines.
So in 2016 she had her first harvest. She now has 6 hectares on “fermage” (rented) from her parents. Her principal holding is the parcel named La Grosse Pierre in Chiroubles. Soil here is the classic granite “rose”; vines average 45 years. Vinification is classic whole-cluster open carbonic, aging in concrete (the Grille in demi-muids), no filtering and little or no sulfites at bottling.
Wine Advocate: 90 Points
I underestimated the 2018 Chiroubles La Grosse Pierre when I tasted it not long after it had been bottled, and six months later, it's performing very well. Mingling aromas of black cherries and blackberries with hints of cracked pepper and herbs, the wine is medium to full-bodied, supple and elegantly fleshy, with succulent acids, melting tannins and a seamless profile.
Pauline Passot's new domaine debuted with the 2016 vintage, and this set of 2018 releases are her finest wines to date. Vinified with whole bunches and matured almost entirely in cement tanks, with a little sulfur at bottling, these are delicious examples of much neglected Chiroubles and more celebrated Fleurie, and everything reviewed here comes warmly recommended.