Domaine Gardiés - La Torre 2017

This red wine has plenty of body and a very fine texture, with a supple yet assertive character. Dark fruit, licorice, candied and peppery notes, and a hint of saltiness attest to the grapes’ perfect ripeness. Enjoy it now or cell it for a while—in either case, be sure to decant it.

Jean Gardiès took over the family estate in 1990, focusing from the outset on red wines, which quickly became benchmarks for the region. Since then, he has consistently produced refined expressions of his Vingrau terroir, cultivating a 35-hectare vineyard with a highly fragmented plot layout—a characteristic reflected in the philosophy behind his wines. For the past eight years, the focus has been on winemaking that stays true to the fruit, with less extraction and more subtlety. Whether you’re looking for dry wines or naturally sweet wines, you’re sure to find something to your liking here—provided you’re willing to spend a little more.

Jean Gardiés now works alongside his son Victor. A proponent of a classic style who is universally respected by his peers, Jean took over the family estate in 1990. He focuses primarily on producing red wines under the Côtes du Roussillon appellation, thereby significantly reducing the production of sweet wines, which now account for only 4 hectares of the vineyard. Grown on a variety of soil types, the reds rank among the region’s finest, offering beautiful body on the palate and flavors of great precision. Noteworthy is the progress made with the white wines, which are now aged in 600-liter demi-muids, preserving their mineral character. The estate’s exemplary consistency, the constant care given to both the vineyard and the cellar, and the finesse now evident in all its wines ensure the estate a prominent place among the region’s select elite.