The wine of the month

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Pierre Gaillard, Clos de Cuminaille, 2020

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4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP

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April 2023: Pierre Gaillard, Clos de Cuminaille, 2020 (26 EUR/29 USD in Sweden) red dry wine, Saint-Joseph, Northern Rhône, Rhône, France, 4,0 NJP of 5,0 NJP (90 points of 100 points) (26-04-2023 by Robert Jonasson Wines We Love and Nenad Jelisic)

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Syrah-wines from the Saint-Joseph’s appellation in the Northern Rhône are wines that is close to the heart of Wines We Loves. Saint-Joseph is an appellation that often delivers wines of good quality. The fact that the wines from here have not yet reached astronomical hights in terms of price does not make matters worse. Domaine Pierre Gaillard, which is located in the village of Malleval, is a producer that rarely disappoints. The entire range of wines from Crozes-Hermitage to Côte Rôtie is top class. This time it was the 2020 vintage of the single vineyard wine Clos de Cuminaille from the small appellation Saint-Joseph that made Wines We Love rejoice.

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This is a young, inky black, wine made from 100% Syrah (Syrah is the only permitted red grape in Saint-Joseph) from granite soils. The aroma is young and completely bursting with dark fruit in layers upon layers. Blackberries, black currants, violets, white pepper and a little note of sweet licorice meet in the complex aroma. The flavour is also young, dark fruity, round, rich and well balanced. There is a light bitterness from the oak barrels that adds complexity. A refreshing acidity adds elegance and freshness to the flavour. The wine has a good tannin structure, and the flavour lingers in the mouth for a long time. Pierre Gaillard 2020 Clos de Cuminaille has fruit, acidity, and tannic structure to be, without problem, aged for another 3 to 5 years. Serve the wine at 16 to 18°C in a glass with a large bowl, for example Riedel's Bordeaux glass or Syrah glass, or similar. This is an excellent companion to most red meat diches. The wine is perfect for an entrecote grilled medium rare, homemade béarnaise sauce and double fried French fries. Should there be anything left in the bottle later in the evening, it will also go well with cheese such as aged cheddar or Parmigiano Reggiano.

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The grapes for Pierre Gaillard 2020 Clos de Cuminaille come from the 3 hectare small vineyard Clos de Cuminaille that Gaillard began planting in 1981. The average age of the vines has now reached over 30 years. The grapes are hand-harvest and careful selection of the grapes is made in the vineyard. Thereafter, the grapes are destemmed and crushed. The grape must undergoes cold maceration before fermentation in oak barrels takes place. Before the wine is bottled, it is aged in oak barrels for 18 months, of which 40% are new oak barrels.