78 Gigondas AC 2008
Domaine Raspail-Ay

Grape:80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre (15% alc.)

Dominique Ay destalks 100% and then gives the wine a long cuvaison before ageing for a couple of years in foudres and demi-muids. This is an exceptional Gigondas with real depth of smoky black forest fruits, very spicy with a hint of liquorice and promising savoury tannins. For drinking now to 2016+.

* Half bottles are available

Technical Information
Winemaker:	Dominique Ay
Location:	Gigondas
Size of domaine:	18 hectares - block of vines around the house on lower slopes of Dentelles de Montmirail.
Grape:	80% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 5% Mourvèdre. 40 yr old average (20-50). 3,300 vines per hectare. R110 rootstock.
Terroir:	Clay, limestone and sand. Quite stony in places. Slope gradient 10% at 200 metres elevation with an easterly aspect.
Viticulture:	Plough –on slope no, on sand and flats yes. No treatments against pests. Green harvests. Manual harvest. 32-34 hectos per hectare.
Vinification:	Destalks 100%, crushes and no prefermentive maceration. Ferment in cement cuves with natural yeast. 1 remontage a day during alcoholic fermentation. 29-31°C max ferment temperature. 4 week cuvaison. Pneumatique press and press wine than added back. No heating of the cellar for the malo. Elevage is 18-20 months. Aged for minimum of 1 yr in foudres and demi-muids with the balance in cement cuves. Racked twice. Wine not fined but filtered lightly by plaques. Generally 3 bottlings from each vintage – 1st after 21 months and last after 30 months. Production is 60,000 bottles.
Press:

 

qty (bottles)

exc vat: £14.13