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Domaine Les Pallières

Scattered here and there throughout the Rhône Valley you may find a few wine families that possess a history of viticulture and winemaking more than enough to challenge any in Burgundy, Germany or elsewhere. Until recently perhaps the best candidate that Gigondas could put forward was the Roux family, caretakers of Domaine les Pallières since the opening of the 15th Century, the land passing from father to son for nearly 600 years in a direct line of inheritance that few estates anywhere in the world could challenge. But at the close of the 20th Century this all came to an end, with the purchase of the domaine by the Brunier brothers, Daniel and Frédéric of Vieux Télégraphe.

Throughout much of the 20th Century the Roux family ran Les Pallières, gradually moving more towards exclusively winemaking, improving quality, and reducing their involvement in growing olives and apricots as they did so. With the dramatic frosts of 1929 and 1956, which killed off the majority of their olive trees, this move was almost inevitable. The response of the incumbent Roux of the time, Hilarion, was to increase the size of the vineyard to 25 hectares, a size still maintained today. Hilarion was succeeded by his son Joseph, who founded the local Syndicat des Vignerons in 1931, and then by the next generation, Christian and Pierre, the latter joining the family business in 1948. As the 20th Century drew to a close, however, there was a suggestion that despite the many years of history carried by the domaine, it may have been time for a change. There was a noted dip in the quality of the wine, and it is not hard to imagine that Christian's death had a huge effect on Pierre, who was subsequently left running the estate alone, and whose health was also deteriorating. Enter the Brunier family.

The Brunier family have revitalised Les Pallières since their purchase of the estate, in conjunction with American importer Kermit Lynch, in 1998. I thought there was a tangible leap in quality even with the 1999 vintage, compared with wines from the late 1980s. No doubt this is due to attention to detail in the vineyard, vital in the production of great wine, and perhaps one of the first things to go when a domaine is on the way downhill. Today the estate covers 125 hectares all told, at the northernmost edge of the Gigondas appellation, although only the aforementioned 25 hectares are planted to vines, on terraced hillside slopes around the house, the remaining 100 hectares being woodland. The vines are predominantly Grenache, which accounts for 80%, with 10% Syrah and 5% each of Mourvèdre and Cinsaut, and they have a good age, most having had their feet in the red clay and limestone that dominates here for around half a century. The Bruniers practice la culture raisonnée, keeping vineyard treatments to a minimum, and practice novel biological rather than chemical methods of pest reduction. There is some leaf stripping and a green harvest. When ripe the fruit is harvested by hand and sorted twice in the vineyard, and a portion is destemmed before a light pressing. The fermentation takes between fifteen and twenty days and is temperature controlled, in tanks of concrete and steel, before malolactic fermentation. It then rests in concrete for up to nine months before going into oak for a similar period of time. The resulting wines are, in my opinion, in the Gigondas premier league, and have served me well in restaurants and at home. (1/3/07)

Contact details:
Address: Vignobles Brunier, 84370 Bédarrides
Telephone: +33 (0) 4 90 33 00 31
Fax: +33 (0) 4 90 33 18 47
Internet: www.brunier.fr

Domaine Les Pallières - Tasting Notes

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Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 2005: This wine has an aroma of sweet and lively fruit, sprinkled with a handful of roasted herbs. There is a rather reserved quality to the fruit that follows on the palate, with some attractive cherry and redcurrant character, with a nice, warm, baked edge which doesn't override everything else in the mouth. It has an elegant presence, freshness and style. There is a slight note of animal to it, but on the whole the fruit is lovely and quite pure. Great character and fine potential. Very good indeed. From a Vignobles Brunier tasting. 17.5+/20 (November 2007)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 2004: A lovely, rich colour. Surprisingly a slightly hot, baked note to the fruit, and a touch of confection, although it still has that unmistakeable black cherry Grenache character. A rather svelte texture on the palate, with a lot of tannin but a very good style. It has the softness of youth but good grip beneath, and fresh acidity. This has good potential, but I hope the sweet confection - a not particularly appealing character which results in a note of caution in my score - fades with time. 17+?/20 (November 2006)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 2003: Another evocative nose, with absolutely masses of fruit, although with a rather unsurprising confit, sweet cherry style. Huge texture on entry, with sweet, warm, ripe fruit with just a little note of garrigue herb. But also a massive wall of tannin and rather soft acids in keeping with the vintage. This needs years, but it has good potential. 16+/20 (November 2006)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 2003: Grenache 80%, the remainder Cinsaut, Syrah and Clairette. Sweet and smoky Grenache fruit nose here, with cherry confit character. Full, dripping with sweet fruit on the palate, nicely rounded, with a seam of dominating tannins which is rather overpowering. Some decent acidity though; this needs 5-6 years to show its best. Very good. 16+/20 (November 2005)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 2001: A wonderful nose, evocative, very stylish, with attractive notes of liquorice. A lovely texture on the palate, full and rounded, but underpinned by firm, grippy tannins. Sweet cherry fruit too, although with a complex, earthy, savage character which is delightful. This has superb potential for the cellar; the Bruniers' efforts have been rewarded in this excellent vintage. 17.5+/20 (November 2006)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 1999: The first vintage when the Bruniers had full control here at les Pallières. Good colour. Classic and delightful nose, which transports me back to Gigondas in an instance, sitting on the wall at the end of the road through the village (of course, I'd seen the label). Sun-baked stones and ripe, meaty black fruits. Middle weight rather than a heavy hitter on the palate, but all the better for it. Balanced acidity, a touch of lean elegance rather than opulence, and a background lick of tannin. Very approachable now, and a perfect food wine. Tasted at London Carriage Works. 17+/20 (January 2004)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 1994: A tawny hue shows this wine is maturing rapidly. The nose has dense, gamey and meaty character. The palate disappoints, however, with an imposing bitterness and disjointed, peppery acidity. Some spicy notes can't detract from the drying tannins. Drinkable, but teetering on the brink of a rapid decline. From a Southern Rhône 1994 tasting. 14/20 (February 2002)

Domaine Les Pallières Gigondas 1990: Red with some tawny. Good fruit on the nose, developing attractive liquorice notes with time. A spicy, herbaceous, high alcohol palate, which leads into a big and spicy finish. Good length. From a 1990 vintage ten year on blind tasting. 16.5/20 (August 2000)