Domaine Santa Duc - Les Quatre Terres 2019

Bettane & Desseauve

About the estate:

Benjamin Gras follows in the footsteps of his father, Yves, and crafts with equal skill a range of deep, elegant single-vineyard wines, in which the purity of the fruit reflects a true obsession. A refined style, in which the wines sacrifice a bit of richness and concentration in favor of a very pure delicacy. In Gigondas as in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the wines have a distinctive style that will leave no one indifferent.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

Vibrant notes of small berries dominate the nose of the 2019 Côtes du Rhône Les Quatre Terres, a blend of Grenache and Syrah from four villages. It is medium-bodied to full-bodied, offering great concentration and a beautiful balance between ripeness and acidity, finishing with silky yet distinctive tannins. Give it another year, then enjoy it over the next five years.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the estate:

Yves Gras took the reins of this iconic Gigondas estate in 1985. He established a full-bodied, robust style that was nonetheless refined, and international recognition followed immediately. Several projects enhanced the estate: the restoration of Clos Derrière Vieille in 1994; and the acquisition of prime terroirs in Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 2009: Saintes Pierres, La Crau Ouest, Le Pied de Baud, Les Pradel, and La Font du Pape. In 2017, the arrival of Benjamin, the son, brought a new dynamic and a stylistic shift. The wines still display the same breed and power, but now possess more infused textures. They offer a palate with diffuse power and more graceful tactile sensations. The oak is also better integrated. The estate practices biodynamics; winemaking is carried out using indigenous yeasts, whole-cluster fermentation is used in part, and the wines are not filtered before bottling. The uniqueness of each cuvée led us to award the estate its first star upon its inclusion in the guide.

Vinous

Jeb Dunnuck