Domaine Santa Duc : Clos Derrière Vieille 2020

Soft, rounded, very fluid style with gentle tannins. Soft and pillowy but finishing neat and fresh. A charming, red-fruited, drinkable style. No Mourvèdre in the blend this year. From northwest-facing vineyards of grey marl with cold soils at 300m altitude, surrounded by woods.

Great complexity on the nose with notes of thyme, rosemary, preserved lemon and red berries. Extremely elegant with lots of mountain freshness alongside the southerly ripeness. Very structured and clean at the long, focused finish. A cuvée of 80% grenache, 10% mourvèdre and 10% syrah growing on limestone marl at an altitude of 300–350 meters above sea level. 75% whole bunch. Matured in a combination of Stockinger oak foudre and clay amphora. From biodynamically grown grapes with Demeter certification. Drinkable now, but best from 2025.

Brought up in foudres and terracotta amphorae, the 2020 Gigondas Clos Derrière Vieille offers a beautiful perfume of rose petals, flowers, strawberries, and that similar passion fruit-like character found in the Aux Lieux-Dits. Translucent ruby-hued, it's medium-bodied, very pretty, and elegant, and should keep for a decade.