2016 Pierre Amadieu Gigondas 'Romane Machotte'

Pierre Amadieu

France / Côtes du Rhône / Pierre Amadieu

The old Grenache and Syrah vines that produce this Gigondas are deeply rooted in the chalk and clay slopes of the family estate, where the scent of the “garrigue” that grew there for centuries still perfumes the vines that have replaced it. Early in October, the hand picking starts under the warm autumn sun, the moment when the grapes are just starting to be perfectly ripe. The “cuvaison” is long (about 30 days) in order to extract only the best from each grape variety – and to allow the spirit and the traditions of our family terroir to be expressed. A traditional ageing of 12 months, partly in two year-old barrels and partly in oak casks, allows a blending of the delicate oak flavours with the subtle natural micro-oxygenation of the wine.

April, 2019

Gary Walsh

The Wine Front

94 points

Raspberry, cherry, malt and chocolate, lavender and scrub herb perfume. Medium-bodied, chocolate and dried herb, earth, fleshy stony tannin, savouries and pudding, pushes through on the finish. Lovely stuff. How can you have any pudding if you don’t eat your meat?!

September, 2018

Joe Czerwinski

Wine Advocate

92 points

The 2016 Gigondas Romane Machotte is a terrific effort, offering up dark-fruited notes of cola, dried spices and cracked pepper. The blend is 80-20 Grenache and Syrah, with the aging taking place in oak of varying sizes. It's full-bodied and creamy in texture through the mid-palate, while picking up intriguing notes of mocha and baking spices on the long finish.

August, 2018

Josh Raynolds

Vinous Media

90-92 points

Brilliant ruby. A complex, expansive bouquet evokes ripe red and blue fruits, cherry pit and succulent herbs and takes on a faintly amaro-like or even medicinal quality with air. Densely packed and sharply focused on the palate, offering intense cherry liqueur and black raspberry flavors that spread out and become sweeter on the back half. Lingers with strong authority on a youthfully tannic finish that echoes the medicinal cherry note.

Standard Bottle Out of Stock

About Pierre Amadieu

Pierre Amadieu is a family-owned domaine established in 1929 in the village of Gigondas. Wines are made, matured and bottled on the estate, which now covers 140 hectares. Pierre is in charge of winemaking and maturation, while his uncle Claude runs the vineyard. The vines are mostly planted on hillsides between 230m and 500m up, facing north-northwest and surrounded by 200 hectares of garrigue and holm oaks. The exposure gives good aeration and avoids excessive sun in full summer, with extended ripening lending the wines freshness, depth and complexity. The wines are vibrant modern Rhônes, very restaurant-friendly and eminently drinkable.

About